Blurring Dreams and Realities
by KaiaLuna
Summary: Stephanie is kidnapped to punish Joe and then left for dead. Now she doesn't want them to catch the shooter and her subconscious is protecting her from the would be killer and keeping her from Joe by blurring her dreams with her reality. Rangers always there to protect her but what happens when she learns the one man she trusted lied and everything she thought was real was a fake.
1. Chapter 1

**My first Plum fic. Recently discovered the series and read straight through all 18! Wasn't enough so I turned to FF. I am not anti-Cupcake at all but I am a Babe. **

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

"One phone call." The man tossed the phone at me and I stared at it a moment. "You have exactly sixty three seconds of credit on the pay as you go."

I took the phone with shaking hands and without thinking I dialed.

"Yo."

"Ranger." I half sobbed into the phone.

"Babe?" Instantly concern washed through his voice.

"I'm kidnapped again." I whispered. It would be funny if I weren't so freaking terrified.

"Where are you?" He demanded.

"I don't know."

"Are you hurt?"

I shook my head forgetting he couldn't see me, "I'm scared." I sniffled.

"I'm coming Babe." He promised. I knew he'd do everything possible to find me. "Stay strong. Don't go crazy."

"Don't get shot." I whispered back. It was as close to a goodbye as I could choke out. I was going to die. I knew it before I dialed his number.

"Babe." I wasn't sure if there was more he was going to say or if that was it because the phone cut off.

A girl walked out of the shadows.

"Why did you call him?" I looked over at her, confusion clear in my expression. "Why not the cop."

I shook my head, fresh tears burning my eyes, I'd called Ranger because I hadn't thought, I'd just dialed. I was scared and I needed someone to save me. I always called Batman when I needed help. I always called him when something went wrong. I also always called him when something went right. I'd shared the news of my first capture with him, the day I'd first caught someone that wasn't a naked old man and the day I'd first caught a difficult FTA without getting covered in anything icky. I called to tell him I'd gotten a new car, knowing he would already know and likely have someone in line to bug it but I liked to share things with Ranger. The best and worst moments of my life were always followed by a phone call to Ranger. Well usually he just showed up to take care of me after the worst but for the bad I'd call him, like Grandma Mazur knocking an entire casket over while trying to get the lid up and having the dead guy roll across the floor or the time there were no Boston Crème donuts at Tasty Pastry, that had led to sweaty hot Ranger sex later so it wasn't so bad a thing, or the time I set my kitchen on fire trying to make soup when I had a cold. He'd laughed, yummy rare Ranger laugh, and then brought over soup Ella had made for me. Ranger was just the first person I always called for anything, his voice calmed me, made me feel braver and I needed to feel brave right now, I was about to find out the ultimate question of where my life was leading, heaven or hell.

"I'm going to kill you." She said evenly.

I nodded. Of course I sort of knew that and even the fear was ebbing away as I accepted my own demise. It was bound to happen eventually after all and I'd gotten to at least hear him call me Babe again. Just one thing I needed to know, "Why?"

She moved further into the room, "To punish him."

"Ranger?"

She shook her head, "No."

"Joe?"

"I thought I'd twist the knife by letting him hear your voice one last time." She chuckled darkly. "I'd say you wrecked my plans but I'll be sure he knows your last call wasn't for him."

I nodded, "I love him."

"Not as much obviously." She smirked.

I supposed, in that instant, right before she shot me, I knew she was right. I loved Joe but I had admitted to myself after Scrog that I loved Ranger too. Sitting here on the cold stone floor, about to die, I realized I didn't just love him, I was in love with him and I stayed with Joe not because I loved him, though I did really love him but because he was familiar and safe and I knew he loved me too. Ranger didn't do relationships but that didn't stop me from loving him with a soul deep passion and need. He was why I could never marry Morelli, as much as I loved Joe I couldn't give him what he deserved, I couldn't give him all of me, because deep down, I belonged to Ranger.

I swallowed and met her eyes and then nodded, at least someone would know I loved Ranger. I hadn't admitted it to anyone, barely even to myself. I closed my eyes as she lifted the gun, "Ranger." I wasn't sure I spoke it allowed or if his name just rang through my mind, I felt a tear escape as I pictured him, a rare smile teasing his mouth as he called me Babe.

I heard the bang of the gun, felt the impact in my chest. I felt the blood welling in my chest and bubbling out my mouth. I gagged on it as I tried to breath. I was seeing black spots as I felt my body convulse on the cement floor.

The girl walked up to me, the man flanking her, she held the gun to my face but her eyes had gone from ice cold blue to an almost liquid, "I'm sorry." She whispered.

I gurgled at her, choking on the blood. Her hand shook on the gun and then she dropped her arm and turned to the man. "Call an ambulance as we leave. Make sure they know it's her. I want Morelli to be one of the first on the scene." Then she walked away. "Be quick about it, she might still have a chance."

I heard him make a call as their voices got further and further away. I struggled to stay awake. The blackness was closing over as I heard sirens in the distance. Its too late I thought as the blackness closed over.

**It's a Babe fic so don't freak out. She's not dead.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

***** POV = New Character (Sophie)**

I watched as Morelli went for Rangers throat. "This is because of you!" He growled. Two uniforms held him back.

"No." I flicked a look at Ranger and then turned to Morelli, "It's about you."

I handed him the envelope with his name on it. Blood was spattered over it.

I'd been a crime scene tech for four years and worked with him before, he was a good cop and he loved Stephanie. Everyone knew Manoso did too and rumor was she loved him too. It was an odd triangle and some even speculated the two alpha males had an _understanding _when it came to the vivacious Stephanie Plum. I wasn't sure it was possible for either of these men to share _anything_ let alone the woman they both loved but rumors were what they were and facts were that Morelli and Steph had an interesting on-again off-again, the off-again phases were often accompanied by sightings of Stephanie driving expensive black cars and spending more time at RangeMan and both men would always rush to the scene of any accident involving her, their concern and affection enough to choke a lonely girl like herself with tears and envy.

Morelli reached for the envelope with shaking hands but held back. "It's been cleared for you to open." I handed him the envelope.

Morelli's eyes darted swiftly across the page and then he dropped to his knees, his expression pained. I took the letter from his grip and read.

_I was going to shoot her in the head but this way she has a fighting chance. Lucky girl. If she'd called you like I'd planned she'd have had the bullet between her eyes. Unlucky you. It was Manoso's voice she wanted to hear. She didn't even hesitate or debate. Just called him. If she dies, you'll live with her death on your hands. If she lives, it will be wrapped in his arms. Don't worry you wont suffer terribly long. I'll come back for you. First I want you to live with the loss of the woman you loved. Next time I find her in your life, I wont hesitate to kill her. You don't deserve her love; you don't deserve happiness. I want you to know what it feels to suffer so you can feel the suffering of my mother. Then I will set us both free of you. Till we meet Daddy Dearest, I am always watching._

I motioned for the two patrolmen who'd held him back from Manoso to help him up. They led him over to a squad car while I turned to the terrifying men in black. I handed the note to Manoso.

He scanned over it and then handed it back. Expressionless. He gave me the barest nod and then he and his men walked over to the black SUV and climbed in. However hot the man was, he made me want to hide in a corner and hope he didn't notice me.

I went to the hospital to collect Stephanie's clothes for evidence and found not one but several black SUVs parked. Inside the waiting room Manoso sat, head in his hands, surrounded by a veritable army of terrifying men, all in black cargos and black tee shirts.

I went to the nurses station to collect the evidence. The young nurse tending things there was looking very pale and glancing once in a while at the men in the waiting area.

A second nurse came over to hand me the bag, "If she dies, they'll tear apart the city until they avenge her." She whispered and nodded to the room.

"If she dies, Morelli might be the first on their list." I whispered back. "You know anything about him having a kid?"

Both nurses shook their heads, the younger, terrified looking one spoke up, "He's Catholic, he'd have married the girl. His mother would have killed him if he didn't."

"Suppose he didn't know some girl was knocked up?" The other nurse suggested.

"Possible." I agreed doubtfully. Morelli's pre-Stephanie reputation was widely known. Could he have simply not noticed one of them he's been with had suffered the consequences alone?

"Do you think they'll leave soon?" The young nurse asked, her hands still shaking.

I gave her a grim smile and shook my head, "Not before she does." The dead or alive part of her leaving was left unsaid. She was still in very dangerous waters.

"Go check on the other patients Cathy, my man in room 1223 needs constant care to make sure his surgery went well. I'll stay here and man the desk."

The young nurse smiled weakly but gratefully and nodded, "Thanks."

I nodded to them both, "I'm heading off."

I took one last look in the waiting room as another man joined them, I swallowed and almost wet myself as I saw him glaring at us, three tear drop tattoos on his face. I was born and raised in gangland, I knew what that meant, I also recognized several of his others and shivered involuntarily. I lowered my eyes and hurried away, his expression said he'd be adding a teardrop, very soon.

I hurried my ass back to the station. The men there were a wreck, too many knew and loved her, their Bombshell Bounty Hunter. The thing that really disturbed me though was two of the felons were crying.

"He turned himself in. Just walked right into the police station, said he was her capture and sat his ass down." I overheard and turned to look at the cop talking.

"What?"

"That big guy over there." He nodded. "He's FTA, been giving Steph trouble this week, he walked in ten minutes ago, said he was her capture and sat down."

I walked over to the felon, "Have you been to booking?"

He looked up at me, "Not yet. How's she doing?" I tilted my head and looked at him in thought. He shrugged, seeming to read my mind, "I'm kind of a regular here. Vinnie bonds me out, Steph comes to get me, I give her some trouble, she kicks my ass brings me in and then we do it again." He said with a shrug. "I like her." His expression got sad. "I figure my bond will help with medical costs. She's going to be ok right?"

I sent him a weak smile, "Fingers crossed. She's still in surgery."

He nodded looking forlorn; "I'll just wait here until they have time for me." I looked over at the two felons crying and again he seemed to read my mind, "They were regulars of hers too. The old dude is homeless, a clepto, can't seem to help himself and will sometimes just get the urge to steal something, doesn't matter what it is, once I heard he stole a box of … well ladies bathroom product." The way he said it with a slight blush left no doubt to me he meant tampons, "She's brought him in three times, always goes to bring him food when she can too, she's sweet like that, always looking out for us. The chick is a hooker, I guess she's friends with the former-ho Steph partners with."

I nodded at him, "She's very loved."

He nodded in agreement as I heard my name called across the station. I moved over to talk to my superiors and sign over the evidence I had collected.

When my shift ended, I walked through the building hoping for news on Stephanie. Along the way I noted the grim faces of several cops, none looked as stricken as Officer Gazarra. I went over and hugged him.

"She has to be ok." He whispered in my ear.

I stepped back, "Any word?"

"Still in surgery."

"It's not looking good." Big Dog told me walking up to us.

"She's flat lined twice." Carl looked like the words were going to make him vomit. They always tried to be first on the scene to anything involving her. They called her their firecracker little sister. You could hear them laughing on the radio, _Our Firecracker lit another one up, Little Sisters not hurt._ As they departed the scene of another burnt up car so everyone not at the scene knew she was ok.

I nodded to them, "Morelli?"

"Chief had him sedated."

I nodded, "Anything I can do?" All three men shook their heads, "When are you guys off shift?" They needed to go home, they weren't any good here.

"Chief sent us home half hour ago." Eddie admitted.

"Waiting for word?"

All three nodded. "Why here?"

"I can't go home." Eddie shook his head. "I can't, I need to be busy, to work, to help." He walked away and stopped at the booking area to help.

"Can't face the hospital. Can't face being able to do nothing." Carl shrugged. "Better we help here."

"Even if we can't do much." Big Dog said looking around the station. "I think we need more coffee." With that he moved to make more coffee. Carl and I nodded at each other and I left. Every cop that knew her was rattled, none of them wanted to leave. News would come here as soon as it left the doctors lips at the hospital.

I sighed and went back to work myself. I was off shift but I knew they'd want all the evidence processed quickly and then reprocessed to make sure nothing was missed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

**Stephanie**

I groaned. Everything hurt. Not dead then. I blinked open my eyes and found myself in the hospital. No surprise there, I'd taken a bullet to the chest at a pretty close range. I groaned again, the various and erratic beeping of machines making my head hurt. A body popped up from the floor. I gurgled a scream and began to gag on the tube down my throat.

A few moments later and I was blinded by light and people were in my room, rushing around. I felt my body begin to convulse and then warmth spreading through my veins as blackness took over again.

This time the blackness was filled with strange images and disturbing dreams. A dark haired girl with ice blue eyes holding a gun at me, Morelli calling me Cupcake and tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, Ranger giving his thinking about smiling smile and telling me this was going to happen and was going to be good. My mother holding pineapple upside down cake, Grandma Mazur shooting a roast chicken, Ranger leaning against a black Porsche one eyebrow lifted, a car blowing up, Rex running his wheel, my apartment on fire, Bob pooping my thong out on Joyce Barnhart's lawn, Lula pulling a pork chop out of her purse, Connie painting her nails, the bonds office blowing up, Ranger in a suit, Tank tossing a guy out a window, Hector handing me a black fob and making a gun with his hand, Cal bringing me pizza from Shorty's, Manny calling me Wifey, Lester flirting, Ranger grabbing him by the collar, Ranger kissing me, Ranger spread out under me naked. Morelli and Ranger standing off in my apartment, Morelli and Ranger fighting in a Hawaiian hotel. The girl with dark hair and ice blue eyes, eyes swimming with tears as she says she's sorry and walks away.

Now I'm on a beach and Ranger is walking towards me, "Babe?" He smiles and lifts a brow and I run into his arms, my legs wrapping around his waist. He kissed me thoroughly, pulling back only when I was moaning into his mouth and panting.

"Have a nice swim?" I asked kissing along his jaw. He gave the almost nod and carried me into a hut I hadn't noticed before.

He laid me down on a bed of the softest linens and began to kiss my entire body.

He nipped my hipbone and I moaned. "You have to leave." I stilled him with the question though it was more statement.

He sat back and looked at me, his eyes sad but his expression blank. He gave me the slightest nod again.

"When?"

"To soon."

"I love you."

"Forever Babe." He leaned over me and kissed me again.

The beach was gone and I was waiting in the rain surrounded by RangeMen. He climbed out of a hummer and I ran to him again wrapping my legs tightly around his waist. He was dirty and tired and smelled like gunpowder and smoke. He set me down and led me away from everyone else. Tension lined his shoulders.

He turned away from me and I grabbed him and forced him to turn. The look in his eyes was full of violence and dark passion. I began to tear at his clothes and he swore and then ripped mine from me. The coupling was filled with the violent promise of his eyes and my body would no doubt be sore for a long time but the harder he pushed the harder I pushed back, needing this as much as he did.

The scene changed again and I was in the apartment on Seven curled on the couch. Ranger came in and lifted me into his arms, kissing me soundly.

"Babe?"

"All is good." I smiled at him. "I caught a pretty high bond today and didn't blow up your car."

He chuckled, "And?"

"I think you need more shower gel, I had to wash seven times before I felt clean after getting tossed in the dumpster, I think there was even a dead animal in there." I shuddered.

He shook his head still chuckling and kissed me, "You always get your man."

"No matter what ick I get dragged through or thrown in." I agree with a wrinkled nose.

He laughed and kissed the tip of my nose, "Proud of you Babe." Then he kissed me proper.

The scene changes again and I'm standing by the burning wreck of a car.

Ranger climbs out of an SUV and walks over to me, "Babe?" Concern was evident in his voice.

"I'm fine." I sighed, "I'm sorry, you loved your Porsche Turbo." I said looking sadly at the mess.

He shook his head, "Just a car Babe."

I sighed again, "I know." I smiled at him, "I loved your Porsche Turbo though."

"I'll buy us another one." He tucked me in the crook of his arm and kissed my temple, "Let's get you home, Ella's making food to ruin my temple as we speak."

I nodded and snuggled into him laughing, "I'll help you work it off later."

"Oh I know you will." He said lowly, his voice dripping with promise and making my panties damp.

"Maybe we should start now." I suggested rubbing against him a little.

Ranger chuckled. "Last time you were in this mood we broke a chair in my office."

I shrugged, "You were gone a long time that trip."

"And today?"

"I haven't had a donut yet."

He chuckled, "I know." I looked up at him and he winked, "I hid your stash and bribed Lula not to get you any."

I blushed and smacked his chest. He just laughed and helped me into his SUV.

Again everything changed; we were in the woods beside a lake.

"Babe?"

"Are we really married?"

"Yeah Babe."

"Do I get to see the Bat Cave now?"

He chuckled, "You own half the Bat Cave now Babe."

I grinned up at him and he kissed me.

"What's wrong Batman?" I asked running my hand along his jaw.

Darkness swirled around me and I was on a cold stone floor and a girl with ice blue eyes was holding a gun at me. I closed my eyes and sent my thoughts to Ranger, I saw him in my mind, his sexy thinking about smiling smile on his face as he called me Babe. Then I heard the bang and felt the pain explode in my chest.

I was fighting to stay conscious when he arrived, pulling me into his arms, "Babe." He breathed, his usually expressionless face full of pain and fear. I gurgled blood at him, trying to tell him I loved him. "Don't leave me Babe. Please. Stay strong. I need you."

Things were black again and there was so much pain. I blinked open my eyes, the light was too bright and everything hurt.

An alarm went off and I heard someone shouting and saw a large black body encased in bright orange lycra barrel out of the room.

I saw Lula rush back into the room followed by two RangeMen and then a slew of Doctors and nurses. Lula and one of the RangeMen were ushered out of the room, Tank was immovable and the glare he sent the nurse seemed to stop her from further attempts to clear the room.

I was poked and prodded and then a doctor came into view and spoke to me. My eyes never left Tank. I felt warmth in my veins and then my eyes got heavy. Blissful darkness wrapped around me letting me sleep.

This time when I blinked awake I felt someone holding my hand, I squeezed it and turned to look at him, "Carlos?" I whispered.

His head shot up and his dark eyes met mine. He looked terrible.

"Babe." He breathed out.

"You ok?" I asked him, worried. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, ate or changed either for that matter.

He gave me a sad version of the thinking about smiling smile and the barest nod, "How are you? Should I get the nurse?"

I shook my head no, I didn't want to go back to sleep, "I'm fine. It hurts to breathe a little."

He nodded and squeezed my hand, "You'll be ok though."

He didn't look entirely convinced so I gave him a weak smile, "At least I didn't blow up another car."

He shook his head, "I wish it had been another car. Or house. Or anything." He reached out and touched my face, "You are the only thing I can't replace Babe."

I felt sleep pulling me back into darkness, "Love you." I whispered right before it took me back.

I woke again. Ranger still at my side, this time though my room was full of other people as well.

"Carlos?" I turned to him first.

"Babe." He gave me the same sad, thinking about smiling smile. "How do you feel?"

I gave him a weak smile, "I want to go home."

He snorted an almost chuckle and ran his hand over my forehead. Others stepped forward now. My mother squeezed my hand on the other side of me and I turned to her, "Luisa Mays daughter never gets shot." I tried for light.

She shook her head, "You hurry up and get out of this hospital, I'll make you any desert you want." Tears bit at her eyes, "I'll make you anything you want as often as you want. I promise."

"I'm ok mom."

She nodded and leaned down to kiss my forehead, "Rest now baby."

My father stepped up behind her, and took my hand in his. He didn't say anything but our eyes met and like with Ranger I could see everything he was trying to hide from the rest of the world, his fear and pain and love for me. I squeezed his hand and he nodded before putting his hand on my mothers shoulder and leading her away.

Grandma Mazur stepped forward next, she always looked like a soup chicken, years older than she was but had life bubbling out of her making her seem so much younger than she was. Now though she seemed very old and fragile as she took my hand. "You aren't allowed to die before me. It's a rule."

I chuckled and then grimaced it hurt so much. I nodded to her, "I wont." Truth was I thought Grandma Mazur would out live us all, even my sisters kids, she was like Big Blue, indestructible.

She nodded and then squeezed my hand and left.

I sighed and closed my eyes, still holding Rangers hand. I was exhausted already. Every time I woke up, Ranger was there, holding my hand and usually I had a new visitor. All of them looked sad with a mixture of relief that I was awake and fear that I was still not out of the woods.

It took several days for me to be conscious for longer than five minutes.

"How are you feeling?" The doctor asked me.

"I'd be better if you got my husband to go home, shower, eat and maybe sleep a little. I promise not to die while he's gone." I told him looking out the window of my room where Ranger stood in the hall talking with Tank while the doctor looked me over.

"I'll do my best." The doctor nodded. "Can you answer a few questions for me in the mean time?"

"Sure." I gave a half nod.

"Physically, how are you feeling?"

"Tired. I have a headache and my chest feels like there is a giant hole in it."

He nodded, "Does is hurt to breathe?"

I nodded, "Some."

"The tired is from all the medicine. We had you in a medically induced coma for a while and it took you a couple days to come out of it after we stopped those drugs. On a scale of one to ten how's the pain?"

I thought about it, "Six."

"Ok. If it goes up at all push this button and more medicine will go into your IV. It will make you sleep more though."

"How am I?"

He gave me a weak smile, "Alive and no longer critical which is good, you still have a long way to go though." I nodded. "I have a few other things to ask and then the police would like to talk with you if it's ok? Or would you rather sleep some first?"

I nodded for him to continue, "I'm fine."

"What is your name?"

"Stephanie Plum Manoso."

"Age?"

I glared at him, "Thirty-two."

He nodded with a small smile, "Parents?"

"Ellen and Frank Plum."

"Siblings?"

"My sister Valerie, she's married to Albert Cloughn, her second husband. She has two girls from her first marriage and one with Albert."

"Where do you live?"

"With my husband, Carlos, at RangeMan, its on Haywood but I still have my old apartment."

He nodded, "How long have you been married?"

I blushed, "Not long." I sighed, my mind felt fuzzy, "My headache is getting worse."

He nodded, "Do you want to take a break before the police come in?"

I shook my head, "Is Morelli here?"

The doctor shook his head, "Carl and Big Dog. I believe they're friends of yours."

I nodded, "They can come in whenever you're done."

He stood and went over to the door.

I saw him step out and speak with Ranger and the two uniformed men I recognized well. Ten minutes later they all came back into the room.

"Carlos?" I reached my hand out for him but every movement hurt.

"Babe." He was at my side in an instant holding my hand.

I sighed and turned to the others, "I'm ready."

Carl nodded, "We can do this later Steph."

I shook my head, "It's ok."

"What do you remember?" Ranger asked me squeezing my hand.

"I was in a warehouse of some kind. I'm not sure how I got there. A man was guarding me. He was almost as big as Tank," I thought for a second, like Hal, only rounder, Hal's more solid, this guy had a gut."

"Race? Ethnicity?"

I shrugged, "He looked like a sumo wrestler so Asian maybe."

"Did he say anything to you?" Big Dog asked.

"He walked over to me and tossed me a cell phone and said it had sixty three seconds of talk time left. I called Ranger." I squeezed his hand. "I knew they were going to kill me, that even Batman couldn't find me in time but I needed to hear his voice." I felt the tears sting my eyes and Ranger clutched my hand. "She came out of the shadows as the connection died."

"She?" Carl pressed.

"The girl." I supplied. "She had long dark hair and ice blue eyes. I saw the pain in them as she stared down at me. She was so sad."

"She was there when he shot you? Did the man hurt her?" Big Dog asked.

I shook my head, "She shot me."

I started to cry and Ranger leaned down and kissed the tears, "Babe." He murmured and the one word was filled with all the comfort, love and strength he always had for me.

"It's ok." I told him after breathing him in. The scent of Bulgari was long gone but he still smelt like Ranger and it helped to calm me. I turned back to the others. "She shot me and was going to shoot me again but she looked so sad about it and then she said she was sorry and left with the Sumo guy."

"Did either of them say why?" Big Dog asked his sad eyes on me.

I shook my head and then stopped, "I think she was sad for me and Ranger, sad to take me away from him. I don't think it was about us." I leaned my head back, pain washing over me both physical and emotional. "She was in pain. Emotionally. I don't think she's fully there, you know, and I don't think she really wanted to kill me."

"Do you know how long you were there? Can you remember anything about where or when you were taken?" Big Dog pressed for more.

I sighed. "Its enough." Ranger growled at them. "Let her rest."

I sent him a weak smile, "I'm ok."

"You're in pain." He argued, immovable as always.

I nodded, "I'll sleep when they have what they need." I turned back to them and gave them an apologetic smile for my slightly scary husband. Then I closed my eyes and tried hard to think and shook my head when nothing came to me. "I can't seem to remember. Maybe I've been kidnapped to many times, they all blur together." I tried for light but they all grimaced.

"What's the last thing you do remember?" The doctor asked.

"Clearly?" He nodded and I tried to think. "Everything seems a little hazy and unclear."

"The last car you blew up?" Carl offered.

"Was that Ranger's Porsche?" I asked. "Was that before or after we married?" I asked him and then frowned again, "I'm pretty sure I had a jeep that caught fire recently but I can't remember if it was before after the Turbo."

"Morelli?" Ranger asked he voice had an odd sort of strangled note I couldn't identify.

"Morelli?" I frowned at him. "I," I tried to think of the last time I was sure I saw Morelli. "We had lunch at Pinos. When was that? It can't have been long ago. He was not happy we were together and still thinks working at RangeMan is too dangerous even though I get in less trouble with your body guards tailing me than I do working for Vinnie full time."

"Dinner with your parents?" Big Dog offered.

I rolled my eyes, "Almost weekly."

"Last skip?" Ranger inquired.

"Dougie Serrano." I smiled lightly, "Pain in the ass as always, he's the one landed me in a dumpster last time."

"Go forward from there. It seems the clearest spot." The doctor encouraged.

I nodded and tried to think, "I don't know, my timeline is all off." I sighed, "I'm sorry. I know everything, no blank spots at all except how I got to the warehouse and where I was before that and the rest just doesn't all fit in my head in the right order."

The doctor nodded, "I think its time you rest more."

I whole-heartedly agreed and laid back on my pillows before turning to Ranger. "Carlos?"

"Babe?"

"Go home and sleep too ok?"

He shook his head and squeezed my hand. "Please." I met his eyes; "I can't feel better until you lose the dark circles and smell like Bulgari, looking all unruffled and untouchable."

He sent me a small thinking about smiling smile and gave me the barest of nods. I smiled back and closed my eyes as the doctor pushed the pain medicine button for me.


	4. Chapter 4

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

*****Sophie POV **

I sat in shock, staring at the doctor. Seven men in black cargo pants, tee shirts and boots stood to the left, expressionless and hard. Morelli, the Plum family and several of her closest friends to the right looking a mixture of shocked and concerned.

"Can you do it?" The man in front of me asked.

He was my boss and friend; he'd had to give me time away to help the FEDs with special cases similar. I nodded, "I can make it look real enough."

"What's real enough?" The doctor asked me. "It could do damage if she began to question things before her mind was ready."

I shook my head, "I can make it look so real only the people in this room will know it's not true."

My boss nodded, "She's the best. If anyone can piece together the evidence of a fake life its Sophie."

I nodded, "I've constructed lives for people before. They know I'm doing it of course and I give them the role but in this case it will obviously be different, ruled around the role in her head but I can make it as real as anything else."

"Constructed lives?" Mrs. Plum murmured.

"I've been a CSI for four years but growing up my father was FBI, working for the unit that created and monitored Witness Protection, I worked with the same unit from the time I graduated, and still help them occasionally." I also created identities for the CIA and being a CSI was only my cover but that was classified and I knew my boss was right, if anyone could make this real to the world it would be me.

"How will we handle Morelli?" The sister, I thought her name was Valerie asked, "Won't she remember her relationship with him?"

"We broke up again three weeks ago." Morelli admitted though everyone knew it.

"You always get back together." Mrs. Plum insisted. "We should tell her the truth of things and bring her home, she'll feel better with things going back how they should."

"I'm afraid that one of three things would result from that." The doctor spoke up, his expression was deadly serious and I knew when her medical doctor had brought her case to psych he'd requested it, something about it was almost, personal, to him and I didn't think it had to do with the patient so much as the illness. "The first is that she'll remember what happened, maybe be a little confused but accept the truth. Dreams and reality blended in her mind so things would be a bit fuzzy and she wouldn't be sure what was and wasn't real in her memories for a while but things would eventually fall into place."

Mrs. Plum nodded, "So we'll just go tell her and Joe can make sure she's ok."

"No." Joe spoke up. "Being near me could put her in more danger. It's safer for her if Manoso is taking care of her."

"You want her to be with that thug?" Mrs. Plum looked shocked.

Morelli shook his head, "I love her. I want her safe."

"She loves him mother." Valerie spoke up. "She's always trusted him."

Mrs. Plum snorted and crossed herself.

"We can tell her the truth without her and Morelli getting back together." Cloughn suggested, "That way she's safe." He glanced at Manoso and looked away quickly.

"Second?" Mr. Plum spoke up his eyes on the doctor.

"Second?" Eddie Gazarra asked with a frown.

"Doc man said there were three things possible." Lula spoke up her attention back on the doctor. "What are them other possibilities?"

The doctor nodded, "The second possibility is that the delusion was created by her mind to protect her from something, trying to break the delusion could do great harm to her mind in one of two ways that I'm aware of."

"How?" Morelli demanded.

"The first is one I've seen first hand," He swallowed. "My sister in fact." And there is was, the reason he'd taken this case, sometimes I scared myself howI could read a person, "Her mind held so firmly to the delusion that when it was taken from her, she could not emotionally or mentally handle the reality. She became all but catatonic and hasn't spoken a word in the last eleven years."

I swallowed back tears, "The second." I voiced the question I wasn't sure any of us really wanted to hear.

"The second was a case I came across in med school during my psych round at a secure asylum. The young man in question was unable to give up his delusion and has been institutionalized since he was sixteen. When the delusion was forced away, he became a danger to himself and others. Left alone in his delusion he converses with his dead twin brother, goes about his daily routine and after twenty years still believes he is sixteen and he and his brother are in boarding school. He has no recollection of being in a car accident at all let alone the fact that he was driving and spent three hours with his brothers decapitated head next to him while rescue workers tried to get him out of the river. Any attempt to disrupt his delusion would turn him violent to those who sought to help him and had him attempting to kill himself. He'd been sedated after the first attempt and woke up remembering nothing the following day, firmly entrenched in his delusion again. Records were made of an attempt being made to remove the delusion four other times with the same result, anger, confusion, violent behaviour and attempts at suicide."

No one said anything for a long time. "What's the third possibility of trying to tell her the truth?" Connie finally asked.

"I've heard of one rare case of a woman whose delusion came from a head wound, when she was forcibly faced with the truth, her mind, unable to cope with the reality shut down."

"Like your sister?" I asked unsure I understood the difference.

He shook his head. "My sister's case is different. Emotionally and mentally she cannot handle the truth of what happened to her, so she shut down. The third case is quite different in that the delusion was broken and her mind came up with a new way to protect her." His eyes looked around the room, "She suffered complete dissociation and retrograde amnesia. She was completely healthy and able to communicate but had no idea who she was or who the people in her life were. After spending time trying to remember her life she gave up and left. She married, had three children and lived until she was eighty-seven. She never went back home, never remembered her parents, husband or two sons, in fact, once she left she never contacted any of them again. They were strangers to her. It was only because of her new husband any of them knew she was alive and well or had passed away." He sighed, "It's doubtful this would occur with Stephanie but I have to consider all options here."

"There is only one option." Grandma Mazur told him while the rest of us sat in shocked silence. "My granddaughter is going home with her hottie husband and everyone is going to go along with anything she wants."

"She'll need wedding photos." Mrs. Plum spoke up with tears in her eyes.

"I can manufacture them." I told her softly.

"You be good to my baby." Mr. Plum glared at Manoso.

Manoso nodded, "Of course."

"What about sex?" Cloughn asked before blushing.

"What about it?" Lula demanded.

"And babies?" Valerie asked. "Well they're married. In her mind at least." Valerie shrugged at her mother's horrified look.

Her mother closed her mouth and nodded, "If that's what she wants." She turned to glare at Manoso, "You better make it real before my grandbabies are born if you have to tell her it's a renewal of vows I don't care, my grandbabies are being born in wedlock."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves." The doctor calmed everyone down. "Chances are Stephanie will remember everything soon."

"Chances?" Morelli demanded, "Is there a possibility she wont?"

"It is very unlikely." The doctor tried to assure everyone. "I believe her mind will eventually allow her back into reality."

"Eventually." Morelli repeated.

"What about when she does remember?" Connie demanded. "Wont she be a little pissed we all lied to her."

"We are talking about letting him take advantage of her." Mary Lou spoke up quietly.

"She be happy if Batman took advantage of her. Hell I'd be happy he wanted to take advantage of me some time." Lula spoke up.

I noticed one of the expressionless men with Manoso glare at her, jealousy flashing for an instant before his face was again impassive.

"Well it ain't like you take advantage of me no more. Guess I can appreciate a good looking man without that look Mister." Lula told him, having seen the flash of emotion as well.

"Can we get back on point please?" Morelli said rubbing his head.

"Stephanie remembers everything, because she's added things that didn't happen it all feels a little fuzzy as she tries to piece it together. Her mind will adapt to the new time line and it will be as real and solid as all of her memories. Her mind chose Mr. Manoso, likely because of a previous relationship, I don't believe she is diminished in any form in her ability to make decisions or um… future plans." The doctor again spoke up.

"So we go on as before but under the guise that Beautiful and Ranger are married." Another man in black spoke up from his place on the wall.

The doctor nodded, "Nothing else in her life seems to have altered in her mind. If anything comes up we will have to meet up and adjust to that how we can. I will be sure you all have my emergency contact information and will be available to you at any time, night or day."

"Sophie?"

I turned to my boss, "How long will you need to set this up?"

I shrugged, "A week."

"She'll be in the hospital at least that, if not longer." The surgeon spoke up.

"Good." My boss nodded. Everyone was silent a minute absorbing everything.

"Manoso?" Morelli finally spoke.

Their eyes met and Manoso gave the barest of nods. Morelli seemed to understand. It was like a whole conversation had occurred in the meeting of their eyes.

Manoso turned to me, "If you need any help come to RangeMan and we'll do what we can." Then he turned to his men, "I want it spread across RangeMan in every location that Stephanie and I eloped, Lester, call your mother and ask her if she'd heard about it from my mother as though it were just leaked through RangeMan."

"Aunt Marisol and Abuella Rosa are going to kill you." The man he'd spoken to said nodding.

"Just do it." He turned to another man, "Are you on top of all her medical here?"

The man nodded, "Not so much on my psych other than PTSD but I'll converse with her doctors and get what I can."

"Chances are you could be faced with symptoms of that too." Her doctor said, referring to the port-tramatic stress comment.

The man nodded and Manoso turned to yet another man in black, "Help Miss…" He looked over at me.

"Sophie Blake."

"Help Miss Blake with any _necessary_ information she needs about me and Stephanie and get us a damn marriage license."

"Ranger?" Someone inquired.

"I don't care how you get her to sign it without seeing what it is but make sure its official. I want the marriage certificate on my desk before she gets out of the hospital."

The man nodded and he turned to Morelli, "Stay away from her and stay alive."

Morelli nodded, "Take care of her."

"Always." Ranger nodded and then left, followed by all the terrifying men but two. The one he'd told to help me organize their married history and the one who was going over her medical requirements with her surgeon and the psych doctor.

"I'm Manuel, Manny." He held out his hand for me to shake. "I'll bring you to her apartment and to his at RangeMan, we have a file, a large file on Bomber you can look over and some very good video of the two of them we can get stills from for photos."

I nodded and let him lead me from the room. We drove to Stephanie's home first and I felt a little awkward entering and packing up her things. The doctor had mentioned that she knew she still rented here so we wouldn't have to take much, just enough to show she lived where she thought she lived.

Manny went into her kitchen and pulled out cokes for us both, "Rex is already at RangeMan and Ella already cleaned the place so it shouldn't be much to pack up."

I nodded, "Rex?"

"Her hamster."

"Right." I nodded and turned back to the sparse place, "Was she robbed?"

He laughed, "No but the place has caught fire twice, guess it kind of kills the clutter."

"Right." She nodded.

"Ranger once said something about her not having enough."

"Enough of what?"

"Everything." He looked away. "She wouldn't let him do things for her, drove him batty because some times we weren't sure she ate enough. I think he scared a couple skips into going FTA a few times so she'd have the bond money, then she finally gave in and came to him for a job and we were all happy."

I nodded. He looked sad as he looked around for a minute or two before the expressionless mask was settled on his face again.

"Manny?" He lifted a brow. "She'll have everything she needs now."

"Ranger and the team will make sure of it." He said with a nod. "Come on, I'll show you where everything is."

"Have you been here often?" He shrugged, "I've broken in three times."

"What?"

He grinned at me, "Wifey's apartment is terribly easy to get into."

"Wifey?"

He shrugged, "I got injured not long after first meeting her, she told the ER we were married so she could check on me and send updates to RangeMan. I've called her that since."

I nodded. "Why did you break in?"

"Last time?" I nodded; why not start there, "To get Rex so Ella could take care of him while she's in hospital."

"Before that time?"

"She was in another mishap and Ranger was _away_. He asked us to check on her and plant another gps since her bag had been in the car." He shrugged, "The time before that it was to get her size for Ella when she was at RangeMan hiding from the Slayers." I nodded again. "Come on." He led me to her bedroom and took out a duffle bag. I began to load it with some of her belongings, half the clothes, most of the makeup and hair product and I was just loading her shower things when Manny stopped me. "She has that stuff already." I didn't ask. I was already far too curious about the Manoso, Plum, Morelli triangle and sharing rumors and I wasn't sure I really wanted to know. Instead I looked around her place and took a couple personal items, I went to take the cookie jar and found a .38 inside. Manny gave a sad smile. "Pack that." He nodded.

I nodded and put it in the bag and then zipped it. Manny picked it up and led me back out locking up behind us. I'd taken about sixty percent of everything she owned and it fit in one duffle. There was just her furniture and maybe ten percent of the rest of her belongings remaining. I almost wanted to cry.

Manny loaded the bag in the SUV and drove us to RangeMan. He beeped us into a garage and up an elevator to level five. The large guy who'd had the jealous flash in the meeting was waiting and handed Manny a key fob.

"Bombers file is in conference room d when you two are ready for it, we've been working to add a few things while you were busy so you should have most of what you need in it." He turned to me, "If you need anything else Manny will help you access our systems."

"Want to see the file now or unpack first?" Manny asked me.

"Her apartment didn't give me much to go on for her personality. It might be better to see the file first, since I'm reconstructing her life around the delusion and not creating a whole new past."

Both men just nodded and Manny pocketed the key and backed us into the elevator and hit the button for the fourth floor.

"That was the control room." Manny told me. "Bomber has a desk there. This floor is conference rooms, I don't think she's ever been down here."

He led me to a conference room and there was a box about the size of an evidence box on the table.

"File?" I asked him with a lifted brow.

He just shrugged and motioned me in.

I went in and opened the box. There were a few files. One labeled Bombshell Bounties, one Bomber Cars, Bomber on Deck, another R & B, then Surveillance. Also in the box were a few odd items I could only think of as keepsakes, including several hospital id tags and a stun gun.

Manny grinned, "This is the stun gun Wifey got Hal to hand over to her to look at before she juiced him with it." He said pulling it out. Then he pulled out a pair of handcuffs, "These are her first handcuffs. Ranger had to go un-cuff her from them after Morelli handcuffed her naked to the shower rod."

"The hospital bracelets?"

Manny grinned, "The Merry Men who've been admitted after an encounter." He chuckled, "Mine's in there somewhere."

He pulled everything out of the box and spread it out. I lifted a brow at the bottle of Bulgari body wash.

Manny shrugged, "We keep track of everything."

"Body soap?"

"She loves it." He said with another shrug.

I found menus or cards from various restaurants as well and set them aside.

I flicked through the Bomber Cars folder and found pictures of cars, some very expensive and black, others clearly junkers. There would be a photo of the car, then a wreck and a page detailing how it got wrecked and how long she'd had it for.

I set the folder aside and looked into Bombshell Bounties and found records of all the skips she'd worked. Bomber on Deck was her work record here at Rangeman. I moved on to the Surveillance folder and found reports and photos. Those I could use so I flicked through them and picked out several. I had saved R & B for last.

"The guys put that together. Its stuff of the two of them they thought you might be able to use." Manny told me.

I nodded and flicked it open. Inside were photos, some obviously stills taken from video feed, of Manoso and Stephanie. I wished someone would look at me with half the passion or affections shown in some of these photos.

I picked out several and then told Manny I had what I needed.

"I'll take you up to seven then." He nodded.

"Seven?"

"That's Ranger's apartment."

I nodded and followed him out. "What is she like?"

"Wifey is the best."

"I need more to go on than that please."

He just looked at me with an eyebrow raised. I sighed, "I need to know her to pull this off right, what's her relationship with you and the others, you call her Wifey and obviously Bomber and Bombshell are nicknames, does she know those, does she have any for you? Do she and Manoso argue? What's her favorite movie? I need, not all but a few details."

He nodded, "She's called Bomber by most of the other men and it's her handle when she's doing a distraction for us, she's also called Little Girl by Tank, Beautiful by Lester, and Angel by Cal and Hector though I don't know if that was to her face or not, we hear her called Firecracker and Little Sister on police bands but again I don't know if those are known to her or not. Morelli called her Cupcake and Ranger calls her Babe. She and Ranger don't fight, not that any of us know about. She calls him Batman, us the Merry Men and her favorite movie is Ghostbusters."

I just stared at him and he sighed and the emotionless mask faded away as he turned to meet my eyes "She's the light in our darkness." I gave him a sad smile to encourage him to continue. "Most of the men in this building are broken or damaged in some way, we've all done things that haunt us, some come out of the military and others prison but all of us know darkness, all of us are loyal to Ranger with our lives, he's our commander and our brother. Stephanie is his heart and she's the balm on our souls and there isn't a man here that wouldn't more than protect her with his life. I would die for her, kill for her or anything else she needed and more than a few in this building would say the same." His voice had turned hard as he now glared at me, "Wifey is about the single most important thing in the world to any of us, we'd go to hell for her. You want to know about her? She's everything beautiful and good in the damn world so you had better make this right because if anything makes her question this delusion no Witness Protection will hide you from me or these men. We will find you and everyone else responsible and no one will find what's left."

He'd transformed from friendly, a little sad and very distant but amicable and unthreatening to the most terrifying man I had ever been faced with. I nodded and bit my lip.

His jaw clenched and his eyes shut as he breathed out and when he opened his eyes, he was again the same quiet, sad, distant but cordial man he'd been before, "I'm sorry."

"I understand, you're afraid for her." I told him still a little off balance. "I can't make any guarantees but I'll do everything possible to make things fit her delusion."

He nodded and finally moved to swipe the fob and hit seven. We rode the elevator in silence. He let me in to the seventh floor apartment where another man in black and a very pretty older woman were waiting.

"I'm going to get the marriage taken care of, this is Ella and Junior. They'll help you finish."

I turned to him, "I can manufacture the marriage license and certificate."

He shook his head; "Ranger wants it real."

I didn't argue with him, I was still a little thrown from his earlier transformation to scary badass, so instead I turned to the woman, "Can you show me around first?" The woman nodded and led me through the place. I noticed the hamster on the kitchen counter and female clothes in the closet. "The clothes are Stephanie's?" I had to make sure, she couldn't come back here and find anyone else's things.

"Of course they're hers." The woman snapped as though I'd insulted Manoso.

I held up my hands, "I meant no offense, I just have to be sure she doesn't find anything from a previous relationship Mr. Manoso might have had while she was with Morelli."

She nodded but her expression was still hard, "Stephanie is the only woman Ranger allows here besides me."

I nodded, "Does she have anything else here?"

I was led into the bathroom where makeup was in a drawer and in the cupboard below was a hairdryer and hair product. There was also shampoo and conditioner in the shower. "She likes Rangers body wash." She said as I examined the bottles, recognizing the Bulgari from the box. Next I was led into the kitchen and a cupboard was opened, in it were pop tarts, peanut butter and Tasty Cakes, "This is her cupboard."

"She and Mr. Manoso keep separate groceries?"

"I do the groceries. Ranger is generally specific about what he eats, Stephanie likes desert." The hard look fell from her face to be replaced with sadness, "She's so nice to cook for."

I smiled softly at her. "She'll be home for you to cook for soon."

I must have said the right thing because she smiled at me and I seemed forgiven for suggesting Manoso had another woman here… ever. It made me even more curious about the triangle but again I pushed that all away not sure I really wanted answers to the questions and knowing if I hinted at asking this woman would not be the only one angry and defensive and I really didn't want to see the scary bad asses in black downstairs all pissed at me, one minute with Manny had been bad enough. She helped me unpack and put away Stephanie's things as well as place her personal items around to make it look natural.

"Does Mr. Manoso not keep photos or personal momentos?" I asked, looking around.

"Not here." The woman shook her head and then regarded me for a minute before motioning me to his office. She opened a locked drawer in his desk and took out a folder, handing it to me. Inside were three photos, "That's his daughter with Stephanie after the Scrog kidnapping." She told me quietly. "This one is his Abuella Rosa." She told me nodding to a photo of an older woman. "The other was taken of Ranger and Stephanie after a distraction." I nodded looking at the three photos. She smiled at them and then took them back, locking them up in the desk and leading me out of the office. I had noticed in the drawer there was also a gun, passport, dog tags and a large bundle of cash. I didn't say anything though as I took a last look around. The place hadn't changed much in the unpacking.

"I'm going to manipulate some photos and make a photo album or two, I'd also like to frame one or two photos if you can put them where you think they should go later."

"I'm on the sixth floor, you can call me when they're ready, I can frame them." She told me guiding me out of the apartment.

Just outside the door, Junior was waiting. "Finished?"

I guessed he'd been there to keep me from snooping more than to help and I was glad Ella had let me peak at Manoso's hidden drawer while he wasn't looking.

I nodded and let him lead me down to her desk. I left it the way it was and was led to a computer where I was able to make a digital photo album and get two good photo's of her and Ranger printed, one that I manipulated into a wedding photo, if it didn't fit her delusion of their wedding it could pass as just a beautiful photo of her in a white dress. I manipulated Manoso into something other than black but didn't think it looked right being as every item in his closet had been black. I left him looking as scary as normal, obviously that didn't phase her. I searched through records and made sure there was evidence in all the right places so anyone who went looking would find no evidence of their not being married, I got her a drivers license, passport, credit cards and changed all of her accounts to her 'married' name, her bank balance was low and her credit cards while not high to most standards were obviously something she struggled to keep paid. I sent the book and photos up to Ella and then followed another terrifying man out. He offered to drive me back but I opted for a cab, not sure my nerves could take much more of the RangeMen.

Everything was set and it had been so much easier than I expected, my one-week deadline had taken one-day, a long day but still just one day. Thinking about it made me sad. I could create a persons whole back story and life in a week, I'd been doing it since I was a kid but somehow it seemed so different to manipulate a persons life into something new, it should have taken longer than a to change everything.


	5. Chapter 5

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

**Ranger…**

I sat watching her sleeping; she looked peaceful though I knew there was still some pain by the tiny furrow in her brow and uneven breathing. I held her hand and watched her hating the lies I knew I was going to tell but knowing I'd do anything for her, even lie to her, if it was what she asked of me.

I wasn't sure how long we sat this time when she woke up. I had stopped on seven to shower and change after the meeting since she'd seemed so worried by my disheveled appearance.

"Ranger?" Her voice broke into my thoughts and my breath caught. I was back to Ranger, had the delusion ended already? Why did my heart give a painful squeeze at that thought?

"Babe."

"You didn't sleep at all did you?" Her voice was gentle and worried as she gripped my hand.

I tilted the corners of my mouth in an attempt to smile, "Some."

She rolled her eyes at me, "Carlos Manoso you are going to make yourself sick." She admonished me looking adorable as she glared.

I gave her an amused, "Babe." And got a huff and eye roll in response.

"When can we go home?"

"Soon." I promised knowing her mind was still convinced of our marriage and hating that her delusion made me so happy.

"Carlos?"

"Babe?"

"Why was there a small Cuban lady beating up Lester outside my room this morning?"

I let out an involuntary laugh at that. "My Abuella Rosa."

"Why was she beating up Les?" This was the part where I lied, "Carlos?"

"Babe." I sighed, it was what she needed, what she was asking from me, so I'd lie.

"What is it?"

"Do you remember getting married?"

She frowned, "Of course." There was a pause "Mostly." Then a sigh, "I remember we are married and I remember a honeymoon in Hawaii." Her smile became seductive, "I remember that perfectly. I think we eloped there… didn't we?"

This was where I could tell her no, that we'd been undercover, trying to catch a skip but the doctors warnings held my tongue, that and the undeniable fact that the woman I loved was finally mine, despite both of us, she was my wife and I wanted her to be. "Yes." I lied. "We eloped." I swallowed, "We didn't exactly share though."

"Share?"

"I was going to tell them. We were going to tell them. I'm not sure who is more surprised, my family or yours but neither is particularly happy we eloped."

She closed her eyes and breathed out, "Of course." Her eyes opened and met mine. "Sorry I left you to take it alone."

I shrugged, "Lester took the brunt actually."

That made her giggle and the sound filled my dark heart with light, her smile and laugh always warmed me.

"Is he ok? Why did he take the blame?"

I shrugged, "He heard a rumor around RangeMan and asked his mother about it. His mother is my aunt."

She blushed prettily, "So he let the cat out of the bag?"

I nodded, "Abuella said he shouldn't be so nosy and gossip. I would have told them myself when I was ready." I gave her a smile, "She said she knew it was going to happen and his gossip would make the family think you were pregnant and she knew I married you for love and not like I did Rachel."

She blushed, "She did?"

"Yeah." I admitted. "My Abuella likes you."

Her frown had me worried, "I never met her Ranger."

I nodded smoothing the furrows with my thumb, "I've told her about you."

"You did?" The emotion in her eyes made me want to kiss her. "Is your mother angry?"

"No. Neither is yours. She's already talking about grandbabies and I think she was disappointed you weren't knocked up."

She laughed again and shook her head; "We'll have to protect each other when she finds out we aren't going to give her any."

That was news to me, "No?"

She rolled her eyes, "I'm not stupid Ranger."

"Steph?"

"I hate it when you do that."

Now I was confused. "Do what?"

"You switch to Steph like that. Please don't Ranger. I know that's not going to change for you and its ok, I love you, I love being with you and I know our life is different and yours is very dangerous but I don't care. So our life doesn't lend itself to children, we have each other, I never wanted to be a housewife and mother and live the burg life. If I did I'd have married Morelli. Me and you is enough. Its all I want." Then she gave me a look that had me getting hard even with her laying in a hospital bed. "Doesn't mean we can't tempt fate by practicing, frequently." She blushed but bit her lip as she undressed me with her eyes.

"It will be a while before we get to do that again Babe." I told her with a kiss. "And kids aren't off the table, they're just not in the picture right now. Like relationships and a ring weren't in my life plan until you."

She grinned at me and gave a tug on my shirt. I leant down and kissed her. I meant it to be a light comforting touch but heat ignited and it was all I could do not to gather her in my arms and slide into her. My wife. Only her injuries stopped me.


	6. Chapter 6

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

**Stephanie…**

It was almost three weeks before I was finally cleared to go home. I'd been visited by Rangers mother, grandmother and his sister who spent more time chatting with the doctors than me since she was a doctor too but I didn't mind, I had enough people hanging around me. Grandma Mazur kept asking about Rangers package, my mother alluded to grandbabies in every other sentence and I had police, RangeMen and even several skips coming in and out everyday to say hello. I cried when Dougie Serrano came in and I found out he'd taken himself to jail and then threatened Vinnie to make sure I got the bond for his capture so I'd have the money for the hospital stay.

Everyone but my nearest and dearest were surprised by my elopement with Ranger but everyone seemed real happy for us. I was glad.

"Ready to go home Babe?"

Ranger came into my room smiling.

"Yes." I would have bounced in happiness but I was still in a lot of pain. One tiny little bullet hole was causing way too much trouble. Then again Ranger and I weren't a secret anymore so that was nice.

"Babe?"

"Huh?" I asked him breaking out of my thoughts.

"Thinking?"

"Oh." I blushed, "I was just thinking how nice it was we aren't a secret now. Silver lining to getting shot, you know?" I told him with a shrug.

He gave me the thinking about smiling smile, "Babe."

"What? I like getting to tell people I'm Mrs. Batman. Though Lula was disappointed when I told her I had still not been to the Bat Cave."

"I'll take you soon." He promised.

"Really?"

He nodded, "It's half yours now too."

"Look at that, I have three homes to blow up now." I told him joking.

He chuckled, "Until next month but let's try not to get your apartment blown up before then, it will be a pain in the ass to get out of the lease and sublet."

"My apartment?" I frowned at him.

He nodded and then stilled, "We can hold on to it if you want."

"No." I shook my head and smiled at him, "I just didn't think about that. No point really, besides a toddler could break in and RangeMan has Ella so there's no contest on where we'd live."

He nodded and then kissed me. "Ready Babe?"

I nodded and then grimaced at the wheel chair. Ranger tossed my bag at Lester and then lifted me gently in his arms and instead of setting me in the wheel chair carried me out. An orderly hurried over with another wheel chair when he saw us but at a glare from both Ranger and his Abuella the guy stopped in his tracks and let us walk past. I was pretty sure Ranger learned the look from her and criminals wouldn't just do what she said but would cuff themselves and apologize for causing her an inconvenience if she went after them. Lucky she seemed to like me and brought me cookies and smiled at me.

Ranger settled me into his SUV and Abuella Rosa handed me a tin of fresh baking, patted my cheek and then left. She never said much but didn't speak all that much English so it was ok. Lester kissed my cheek, "I'm taking her home. Take care cousin."

I grinned at him, "Thanks Les."

Ranger drove to Haywood and lifted me out of the car. The elevator doors dinged open and half of RangeMan poured out. I bit back tears as they clapped and yelled out Welcome Home Bomber.

I'd been home a week when Ranger finally let me move beyond our apartment. He had me checking in with Bobby if I felt even the slightest pain. It was cute but getting on my nerves.

Moving down to the fifth floor wasn't much better. If I so much as looked like I was going to get up from my desk for something at least three RangeMen would show up in my cubicle asking if I needed anything.

After the second week I was going to shoot somebody. Bless Tank he called in Lula and convinced Ranger it was ok for her to take me out to lunch. To Shorty's, with Cal and Bobby in tow, but I was still out.

After the third lunch outing I convinced Bobby I was feeling fine and threatened Cal sufficiently enough that they let us go shopping. I was getting tired of this, I was almost fine now for cripes sake, just got a little winded faster than any normal woman should but I was getting better every day. I was also getting so horny I thought I might molest Ranger in his sleep if he didn't screw me soon but that was another issue entirely. Or it was until my check up, six weeks to the day of getting out of the hospital, well over two months from the shooting and I made sure to specifically ask the doctor if I was cleared for physical activity.

"Yes. As I said in our last appointment, getting up and moving around is important and some light exercise is good to rebuild your strength. I wouldn't try to run a marathon or move any heavy furniture but you should be trying to get back to regular activities.

"Like sex?" I clarified and then blushed.

He hesitated but then nodded, "Yes. There is no medical reason to abstain."

"Thanks." I breathed. Bobby who'd brought me had blushed as well and was staring intently at his feet.

We went straight back to RangeMan but Ranger was still out. "I'm calling Lula to go shopping." I told Tank as soon as we got in.

"I'll let Cal and Bobby know." He nodded.

"I'm fine Tank. I don't need the escort anymore. Doc cleared me to carry my own shopping bags."

"No." Tanks immovable face slammed down.

I braced myself for an argument but was immediately deflated by Manny in the door, "Please Wifey."

I turned to him, "I'm fine Manny. I promise, almost like new."

"The person that did it is still out there Bomber." Hal moved over to us as well, his eyes filled with so much worry I just wanted to hug him. So I did.

Then I turned to Tank with a sigh, "Fine. I'll take the body guards."

Tank nodded and I left to call Lula.

The boys were really going to wish they hadn't had to follow me today. I was on a mission. A seduce Batman mission.

We went to Bath and Body Works and then Victoria Secret and I bought a few things. It was a little weird seeing Bobby and Cal in there with us. Bobby kept blushing and Cal tried to ignore the women giving him frightened looks and inching away.

I glared at a few of the women and sent Cal a smile, then I flounced over pulled him down and kissed the flaming skull tattoo on his forehead before handing him my shopping bags. "You can wait outside while I pay. No psycho stalkers are in here. I promise."

Bobby looked relieved and nodded enthusiastically as he grabbed Lula's bags and hurried to the door.

Cal looked torn and then scouted everyone in the store as though they were enemy troops, evaluating each of them before nodding to me and moving to stand just inside the doorway, his eyes tracking my every move.

I paid for my purchases and Lula and I went to get lunch and then to Macy's to buy new shoes. On the way home we stopped at a sex store and if I thought Bobby was red in Victoria Secret it was nothing compared to here.

"You're a doctor why does sex embarrass you?" Lula demanded as we walked in.

"I'm a former military field medic and a medic for RangeMan not a doctor, Bomber's my only female patient and there were only a handful I treated as a field medic and sex is not the same as giving a physical." He responded blushing.

"You need to get laid." Lula decided after staring at him for a minute.

"I'm married."

"Really? Maybe you should pick something out, surprise your wife, she'd maybe like a little excitement in the bedroom. You seem like a missionary, keep the lights off fellow."

Bobby just gapped at her while I struggled not to laugh and pulled Cal away before Bobby's shit hit the fan. Cal followed me into the store and Lula flounced off as Bobby shouted "What?"

I wandered around with Lula and noticed Cal looking at a display case so I wandered over.

"Yikes." I said looking at them.

"Nipple clamps." He told me, pointing to a pair for the sales woman.

I tried not to focus on his nipples, he chuckled; "They're for a girl, not me Bomber."

I flushed, "I knew that."

"Want a pair?"

I blushed again and shook my head, "I don't think I'm ready for that much adventure."

"What are you looking for?" He asked turning to focus on me.

"Why aren't you as embarrassed as Bobby?"

He shrugged, "I've only pictured you naked, he's actually seen it so can better visualize you in the naughty garments." He suggested with a wink.

I blushed and shoved his chest. He laughed, "My mother owns one of these sex shops." He told me. "Sex was never a taboo topic in my house."

"Really?"

"My mother bought me porn for my fifteenth and condoms for my sixteenth birthday."

"Seriously!" I stuttered.

He nodded. "She's eccentric."

I raised an eyebrow and he shrugged, "She paid for my first tattoo and offered to hold my hand when I got the tip of my cock pierced too."

I blushed as my eyes went straight to his pants. He chuckled and wrapped his arm around my shoulder and led me through the store.

"Anything in mind?"

"Getting Ranger naked." I muttered. He laughed again. "Seriously, I'm starting to think marry him turned him off me. Maybe he doesn't find me attractive any more. Do you think the bullet wound is hideous?" I asked him lifting my shirt a little to poke at it.

He grabbed my hands and ran his fingers gently over the angry red scar before gently lowering my shirt, "You're beautiful Bomber." He whispered and then hugged me. I bit back tears hugging him back until I was sure I was under control. "You don't need anything Bomber. Get naked and he'll be standing to attention. Trust me."

I shook my head, "He wont touch me. He barely looks at me." Crap I was going to cry again.

He lifted my chin so my eyes met his, "Ranger still wants you… bad, trust me, he's been in a foul mood with you injured and we've seen him running the treadmill a little funny a couple mornings, swearing to himself and working off the need for you. He's just scared to hurt you."

"I'm fine." I sniffled leaning into his chest again, no doubt getting snot all over his RangeMan black tee.

"You almost weren't." He reminded me sadly. "Scared the crap out of all of us."

"I know and I'm sorry but I really am ok now."

"I know." He held me a moment longer and then pulled back to meet my eyes. "OK, so what did you want to find in here?"

I shrugged, "Something to seduce Ranger. Or a good vibrator since that might be impossible. He has the control of a freaking cyborg and doesn't even have a massage shower head."

Cal chuckled while I blushed, "He wrapped his arm over my shoulder again and led me down the aisle to the end."

"Bomber if he wont man up you can divorce him and have your pick of more than one Merry Man dreaming of you in his bed but if you're determined I'd suggest something like this." He pulled out a couple of things and I took them all.

As we were checking out he dropped a pocket rocket in the pile, "Just in case you want to start without him." Cal winked at me and I laughed, blushing and hugged him.

Bobby was waiting by the door with a little bag of his own. "Whooh doc, what you buy?" Lula demanded, snatching at the bag.

"None of your business."

"I show you what I bought." She told him pulling a dildo that would look about the right size for King Kong. "It's almost like Tank's." She said smiling at it dreamily. That was something I hadn't needed a visual for. "I also got me some new porn. What you buy Cal?"

"He got his girlfriend nipple clamps." I told her.

"No girlfriend Bomber, just adventurous friends." He corrected me with a wink.

Lula nodded, "I got me some sensitive nipples but I used a few on some men back when I was a ho that liked it kinky like that." She turned her attention to me. "What you get?" I showed her the items in the bag and she nodded. "Probably he'll be walkin funny for a new reason tomorrow." Lula winked at me.

"Probably for the same reason and I'll be breaking in the new pocket rocket." I mumbled. Cal's hand came up and began to knead my shoulder comfortingly.

"Huhn." Was Lula's reply before turning back to Bobby, "So what you buy?"

Bobby rolled his eyes, "None of your business."

"Huhn." Lula said. "We all done showed you ours and you wont even tell what's in yours?"

Bobby rolled his eyes, obviously he'd been spending too much time with me, then he led us out of the store. In the back seat of the SUV Lula snagged his bag without letting on and opened it.

"Woohh!" She screeched, "Doctor man a kinky bastard!" The car swerved and Bobby cursed, blushing bright red.

"What?" I was way to curious let it drop and give him his privacy now that the bag was already open.

"He bought hisself a butt plug!"

I wasn't sure if Bobby or I were more red. "I don't use it!" He growled.

Cal chuckled, "My ex had the same one in purple."

That made Bobby's color go down a notch though my face was still burning. "What else you got in here?" Lula pulled out a video and nodded, "This is a good one. Oohh, man, you packing down there huhn?" Lula asked pulling out a large circle, "This here a deluxe cock ring. Your wife maybe pretty happy down there, you just a shy bedroom freak."

I blushed brighter and she put everything back in Bobby's bag. He didn't speak as he drove us back towards RangeMan. Lula winked at him as she climbed in her firebird and Bobby shook his head and headed inside.

Cal chuckled at them both and wrapped an arm around me, "Need any help Bomber?"

"If this doesn't work you think you can just tie him down so I can have my wicked way with his body?"

Cal grinned and winked at me, "I'd rather provide the body."

I blushed, my eyes dropping involuntarily to his crotch as I thought about the piercing.

He chuckled and wrapped his arm around me making me look up again and then he kissed my temple, "He loves you Bomber and trust me, he wants you, badly."

I nodded and hugged him before taking the elevator up to seven. I jumped in the shower and did the hair thing and put on light smudge and waterproof makeup. Then I pulled on the skin tight black lycra shorts that were barely larger than some underwear I owned, the top was a black lyrca flak vest, well the back was, the sides had no material but the straps which Velcro-d to the narrow front that covered my gunshot wound perfectly. My boobs were pushed up providing as much cleavage as possible and the whole front had a zipper running up it, with about an inch unzipped at the top to give more cleavage. I added a RangeMan hat on my head. Next I turned out all the lights. Made sure to call Ella and tell her _not_ to come up with dinner and went to wait in the den for my husband.

Ranger walked in a little later and dropped his keys in the bowl and walked into the office where I sat, feet on his desk to give my legs optimal length, gun in my hand, unloaded of course.

"Babe." He choked out.

I nodded to the papers on the desk, "You've broken your bond agreement Mr. Manoso."

"Bond, what?" He shook his head as though to clear it and I again motioned to the papers. They were our marriage certificate and my medical forms stating I was all healed up and cleared for physical activity, _weeks_ ago.

"As your wife and bondee, I'm giving you this chance to rectify the situation."

"Babe?"

I stood up and walked over to him. "If you'd rather not, I'll cart your ass to jail."

"Babe." He smiled at me.

"Ok so I'll cart your ass to the municipal court, divorce you and then hopefully you'll want to screw me silly again. If not, I'm pretty sure Cal offered."

The way his expression darkened I was a little worried about throwing Cal under the bus like that. "Babe."

"I'm fine Ranger." I growled at him. "I was cleared by the doctor weeks ago and I double checked this morning when I went in. It's been nearly two months since I've been home. You wont touch me you barely look at me, I'm your wife damnit!" Ok now my Italian temper was coming out but I was frustrated; sue me.

"Stephanie."

"Are you sorry you married me Carlos?"

"No."

"Do you still think I'm sexy?"

The way his eyes were burning across my skin I was going to go with a yes on that one but I wanted to hear him say it. He didn't.

"Steph."

"Is it the chase? Or was it never about me? Did you just like sticking it to Morelli?" He was right on the edge and I was poking a damn tiger with a stick but I was also beyond caring. "What! Ranger, tell me what it is. Why wont you make love to me? I'm your wife!" I yelled at him.

His expression became shuttered and I knew this was going nowhere; the distance between us drove a knife into my heart and I was suddenly very tired. "Babe." His voice was soft and full of concern as I sank into the chair, struggling to breathe around the tears.

"Get out." I whispered.

"Stephanie." He came over and as he reached for me I knew I couldn't handle him touching me.

"GET OUT!" I screamed at him. I stood and shoved against his chest. "GO!"

"Babe."

"I _never_ should have married you."

He turned on his heal and left. I crumpled to the floor and cried. Eventually I got up and changed into comfy sweats and a tank. I couldn't seem to stop myself from crying. I took a blanket and pillow to the couch and curled up to sleep. I was woken to Ranger lifting me.

"Let go." I growled at him, trying to get down.

"Babe." He sighed.

"I'm fine here." I spat moving back to the couch to lie down.

"Please Steph."

"Go to bed Ranger." I turned away from him as fresh tears burned my eyes.

He stood for a little while watching me and then I heard the front door close again.

In the morning I woke up and dressed and went down to my desk on five. Cal stopped in to see me but I was guessing he knew by the look on my face things hadn't gone well and I was grateful he didn't bring it up.

"Shorty's for lunch?" He asked instead.

I nodded, "Sure."

I knew he had sent Bobby up because not five minutes after he left Bobby had shown up. Then again maybe it had been Tank who was watching me with an eagle eye.

"You ok Bomber? Looking a little pale."

"I didn't sleep well." I shrugged.

"Bomber."

"I'm fine Bobby."

I turned back to work and he left. I glared at the monitor and then dropped my head on my arms. My life was a joke. I was a freaking joke. I heard movement behind me and turned to see Hector there. He handed me a little black box and pointed to my neck. I opened it and found a beautiful necklace.

"GPS." He told me.

I nodded, "Thanks Hector."

"Como Estas? You ok?"

I nodded, "I'm fine. Just tired." He nodded and ran a finger down my cheek following the path of a tear I hadn't realized fell, "We'll find." He made a gun with his hand and then pointed to my stomach. "I'll add these to mine then." He said wiping another tear away and touching it to where his tattooed tears were. I gave him a watery smile and a hug.

"No." I told him. "No death on your hands. Not for me."

He stepped back and shook his head. He touched my stomach, "They'll die. Muerto. My Angel." He wiped away another tear. "No cry for my soul, to protect you, washes away my bad things." He turned and walked away and I sat back down and tried not to start full out sobbing.

After I had myself under control I got up and went to Tanks office.

"Tank?"

"Bomber." He nodded me inside and I turned and shut the door, something that I didn't normally bother with. "You ok?" He asked as I turned back to him and then sank into one of his client club chairs.

I shook my head, "Hector said he was going to kill the girl who shot me."

He nodded and growled, "He'll have to get in line."

"I don't want more blood on your hands, on any of your hands. Abruzzi was bad enough."

He regarded me for a minute, "They love you Little Girl, we all love you, none so much as Ranger. There isn't any price to high to pay for your safety."

"They didn't kill me Tank. They could have but they didn't, I don't think it's about me. I don't think they're a threat now."

He shook his head, "We'd do anything for you Stephanie, anything, but please don't ask us to turn a blind eye and let people who hurt you, nearly killed you, walk. It might be the one thing I can't do, the one thing Ranger can't do."

"Why did he marry me?"

"He loves you."

I shook my head, "He wont look at me, he wont touch me. He used to say I was a line in his entertainment budget and his love for me would only ever come with a condom, that's not love, its lust and amusement, I amuse him. Or I did. I don't think I even do that now. I don't remember us ever fighting before last night. Then again I don't remember him not taking an opportunity to kiss me or tease me even when I was with Joe and he never turned me down, he'd just back off when I did. Now he wont even look at me let alone sleep with me. I'm his wife and I think maybe he hates me for that and I can't remember why we got married? Did he do it to protect me from something? Is that it? He doesn't do relationships but here he is saddled with a wife he doesn't want or even seem to like all that much." I sobbed, wiping away the tears as I spoke, "I keep trying to fit it all together but its like the timeline in my head is wobbly and I know we are married but I can't remember why? Was there a reason we didn't tell people? Was it a mistake? Is he already bored with me? Did we rush into it? Were we drunk? Why do none of my memories fit right? Did I imagine that he loved me? I can't seem to decide what's real anymore."

I hadn't noticed Tank get up from his desk or come around and kneel in front of me until he pulled me into his arms, "He loves you Bomber. So much it kills him. Coming so close to losing you has him scared is all. I don't think he'll sleep right until we catch who did this."

I sobbed into Tanks arms until I couldn't keep my eyes open and I let sleep take me. I woke up in my bed with Bobby and Lester watching me with worry in their eyes.

"Hey Beautiful." Lester smiled weakly.

"Les?" I rasped back, my throat dry.

Bobby handed me water and I sipped it slowly. "How are you?"

I rolled my eyes, "I'm fine Bobby. I was shot, half the guys at RangeMan have been shot. I'm healing fine."

He nodded, "Ok Bomber. Just checking. Tank asked me to look in on you."

"Well, I don't need you to."

He nodded, "Not medically but as your friend I like to."

I instantly felt bad for my harsh tone. "I'm sorry Bobby."

He shook his head, "It's ok."

"You need anything Beautiful?" Lester asked gently.

I shook my head and then smiled at him, "You're back."

He nodded, "Sorry I was gone so much. Family stuff."

"Everything ok?"

"Yup." He nodded, "Just came to make sure you and Ranger didn't forget next weekend."

"What's next weekend?"

"Abuella Rosa's birthday, the whole family is going to be there, everyone is looking forward to meeting the woman to tame Ranger."

I blushed and looked away, trying not to cry again. "Rest for a little bit ok Bomber?" Bobby asked gently. I nodded and laid back down. I felt him run his hand over my forehead and then Lester kissed my temple and they both left.


	7. Chapter 7

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

**Ranger…**

"What do I do Morelli?" I hated going to him for advice but I was between a rock and a hard place and I was losing the battle on my better judgment.

He shook his head, "The doctor says she needs this delusion Manoso and since you are a real bastard, it isn't a delusion is it, you fucking married her."

"It had to be real. There were to many possibilities for mistakes without it, the longer it goes on the more complicated it would have become."

He nodded, running his hand through his hair, "I know. I know it was the right thing and we both know what the right thing here is so why are meeting me about it? Rubbing it in my face she can't keep her hands off you?" The last was a growl.

I shook my head, "It isn't the right thing. She's not thinking clearly. I'd be taking advantage of her delusions."

"She's thinking perfectly, at least according to the doctor, for some reason she's just added marriage to you. You heard him, fucking with that can hurt her and you agreed to go along with it. Made it real and married her even. So quit complaining. Its not like you haven't already been there." I lifted a brow in question and he glared harder. "Don't think I don't know you took advantage of her anger at me and gratitude to you while we were on a break and took her to bed and don't think I don't know it happened more than once. I trusted her enough to know it wasn't happening while we were together but I knew every time you saw her you tried to poach her from me."

"I sent her back to you to." I growled.

"Well that was a fuck dumb thing to do. Lucky you she still fucking chose you."

"Are you seriously telling me to sleep with her?"

"She's your wife." He shrugged, the tension, pain and anger clear in him despite his attempts to hide it all, to squash it down and bury it.

I snorted and walked away from him to find Tank waiting outside with her doctor.

"What happened?" I snarled.

"She's questioning the delusion." The doctor spoke up.

I stepped menacingly towards him, "Why? Who said something to her? Who risked her?"

"You." Tank snapped at me.

I spun on him and lifted an eyebrow, he knew me well enough to know how on edge and how dangerous I was just then. "She came into my office questioning why you married her because you didn't want her for more than sex and a laugh and now don't seem to be interested at all."

"She said what?" I growled.

"Take it up with your wife." He spat back.

"If there is a… physical reason… you might be… unable…" The doctor stuttered out.

I glared at him and he stopped talking.

Tank was blue trying to hold in the laughter.

I pushed past them and got in my Porsche and drove back to RangeMan.

I was met with a severely pissed off cousin and the glares of some of my best and most dangerous men, all who loved my Babe.

"Don't start." I warned Lester.

Every one of them knew by my tone that one word and we would all likely end up in Bobby's ward with broken bones.

"She hasn't stopped crying. Even sleeping she cries." Ella is the only one who dared to speak. Accusation and disappointment clear in her voice.

I nod once and take the stairs up to my, to _our_ apartment. She's curled on the bed and as Ella said, even in her sleep she has tears falling. I brushed them and away and crawled into bed, holding her.

She stiffened as she woke up, I tightened my hold, and sighed. Hector and Cal were right, she was an angel and for whatever reason god had seen fit to let her love me. I knew it was wrong to drag her into the pit of hell, the bowels of man kind where I not only lived but where me and my men thrived. I swore I'd protect her even from me. I was a mercenary, I fought to make the world a little better but darkness and hate filled my life, death and destruction my constant companions yet here I lay, holding an angel in my arms one who held my heart safely in her keeping and I'd hurt her. It was my greatest sin. I wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do, if it was selfish to hold her to me so tightly but I'd tried to set her free and it had only made her suffer, I had sworn to protect her and maybe in holding her close I could do that better, maybe, probably it was jut that I couldn't let her go now. I'd always known if she was ever really mine, I'd never be able to let her go. So I told her the truth and if it damned my soul in the end I didn't care, at least for now, god had given me an angel to protect and he'd seen fit to let her love me, "I married you because you are everything that means anything to me. You are the one who makes me smile even on the darkest days, who drags me out of the hell still living in the depths of my mind and makes me see beauty in life and in people. I married you because I can't exist in a world that you aren't a part of." I breathed in the scent of her, flower shampoo mixed with my own Bulgari body wash and that essence that was solely her own. "I tried, so hard to be noble, to do the right thing and let you go, to not taint your beauty with my darkness. Your goodness isn't smothered by the dark, the way I feared for so long, it lights it up and soothes the broken and damaged souls that wade through the bowels of mankind. I married you because you own me heart, body and soul and because I couldn't ever stand to lose you." She had relaxed into me as I spoke. "I was never so scared as when someone was stalking you, or had kidnapped you, never so scared as in the moments before I opened the cupboard, thinking you were dead, until this." My hand rested over the spot the bullet had entered. "I prayed. I sat in the waiting room, my head in my hands and I prayed. It's the only time since I was a child that I cried, in public no less, as I prayed for you. RangeMan shut down as every last one of my men gathered with me in the waiting room and every one of them prayed with me, promising god to be better men and swearing our souls to the devil himself if only somehow, one of them would just save you."

"Carlos." She sighed my name and I pulled her body the fraction of an inch closer against mine.

"I'll do or be anything you need me to be Steph. Nothing matters more to me than you. I married you because even if my life before didn't lend itself to a relationship, I'm only actually living when I'm with you. I wanted to shoot myself for putting you in danger when Julie was kidnapped. She's my daughter but she is a distant part of me, like the rest of my family, people I love and protect but that I have little contact with, that I distance myself from emotionally, people who would only grieve a short time if I died and people I would only grieve briefly if they did. I'd never recover from your loss, I can't distance myself from you and I'd never be able to try."

"Why?" her voice was low and rough from crying and I knew she wasn't asking why I couldn't seem to push her out of my heart but why I stayed away physically.

"I want you so badly it physically hurts." I told her, rocking my hips so she was sure to notice just how badly I wanted her. "You walk into a room and I go hard, you smile at me and I can't breathe and the sounds you make when you eat have all but driven me insane on numerous occasions. The last six weeks have been torture more painful than being captured and interrogated for seventeen hours by enemies and I can say that from experience."

"You've been avoiding me."

"Babe, I'm a Mercenary. I'm not used to not taking what I want. From day one I've struggled not just taking you as mine."

"I am yours."

"Made it even harder not to take you." I told her kissing her shoulder, "but I'll kill myself before I hurt you Babe."

She turned in my arms, her eyes were still red from crying, "I'm ok Carlos." She reached up and touched my face, "I just, I need you." She whispered the words as though ashamed of it.

"I need you too Babe." I reassured her, leaning into her to kiss her. She tasted like heaven and tears. I kissed her face and then returned to her mouth. She moaned into my kiss and pressed her body tighter to mine. I deepened the kiss and slid my hand under her tee shirt. It was one of mine. I loved it when she wore them, though it had been pure torture when she had slept beside me, untouchable, in nothing but my own shirt and those tiny black panties, RangeMan embroidered on them, my name was on her but she'd been Morelli's then. Now she was mine. She was mine forever.


	8. Chapter 8

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

**Stephanie…**

I woke up, happy and sated. I stretched, rubbing against the body curled around mine and heard my husband groan. I giggled as he pulled me back into his body and began to kiss my bare shoulders, I felt him twitch and grow pressed against my ass. I twisted in his arms and let out a gasp at the pain. Instantly he stopped kissing me, his eyes filled with concern. I reached up and touched his cheek. "It's ok. I just pulled my hair." I told him giggling and lifting the arm he had under me and freeing my hair. He relaxed and gave me a thinking about smiling smile and then kissed me.

An hour later and he was helping me shower and after the water turned cold and we'd swamped the bathroom floor by tumbling out onto the floor, we dressed and went into the kitchen for breakfast.

Ranger called Ella and then pulled me into his lap. I snuggled into him, kissing his neck until she walked in with breakfast trays.

She smiled softly at me and then sent Ranger a glare and a nod before turning to leave.

"What was that about?" I asked him getting up to get some juice.

"She's not happy I upset you." He told me taking the juice from me and pouring us both glasses.

I took the tops off our plates and saw Ella had made me pancakes, doused in syrup with bacon on the side. On his plate was a plastic container of yogurt, a spoon and a bowl of dry bran. I laughed and he shook his head. I moaned through my pancakes sharing a couple bites with him, though he seemed more intent on nibbling on me. He let me finish before setting me on the table, grinning wickedly and stripping off the sweats I'd pulled on after our shower. Then he ate me for breakfast before seeing how well the table held up with both our weights.

It was almost eleven by the time we finally made it down to five. I knew I was glowing and couldn't stop smiling. Ranger looked as perfect and unreadable as ever but he walked me to my cubicle and then kissed me until my legs went weak before heading to his own office.

I sat down with a happy sigh and tried to focus on work. My life was perfect.

I noticed some tension between the guys and Ranger and Ella and Ranger but by the end of the day everything seemed right again. We never did make it to Abuella Rosa's birthday though.

"Carlos?" I asked him as we lay in bed.

"Babe?"

"Do you not want me to meet your family?"

He stiffened, "You've met my daughter and my mother and Abuella Rosa were at the hospital to visit."

"It was your grandmothers birthday this weekend. Lester said we were supposed to go but we didn't and you never brought it up."

He sighed, "I'm invited every year Babe. To every birthday or anniversary. To Christmas and Easter and every other holiday or event."

"We didn't go though."

"I never go."

"Why?"

He sighed, "I told you Babe. I've spent all my adult life distancing myself from all of them. I didn't go to my sisters wedding or baby shower, I wasn't even there when Julie was born. I talk to my Abuella more than anyone and now I do talk with Julie sometimes but they have not been part of my life for a very long time and with my life it is still better this way."

"Do you ever see them?"

He kissed my shoulder, "Yes. At least once a year I stop in."

"Stop in?"

"I'll take you to meet everyone the next time I go ok?"

"Carlos?"

"Babe?"

"I know I haven't gone much since we got home but I can't do that with my family, besides, they know where we live and my mother will find us."

He chuckled, "Wouldn't ask you to Babe and if you want to get closer to my family I wont stop you just beware because my mother wants grandbabies from us just as much as yours does and I think she has hopes my marrying you will mean changing my life to be more… stable. To make my life safe for you."

"I don't ever want you to change Carlos.

"I love you Babe."

"I love you too." I turned into his chest and breathed him in, "So very much."

He kissed me and rolled us so I was on top of him, "You still have that outfit?" He asked with a leer.

I laughed and nodded and he smacked my ass. I leaned down to kiss him and his phone rang.

I sighed and rolled off of him so he could answer.

Who ever it was, he didn't sound happy to hear from them.

He disappeared into his office and a little later he came back in looking defeated.

"You have to leave again." I sat up and walked over to him.

He pulled me into his arms, "You'll be safe. I'll make sure of it."

I could feel him shaking a little and ran my hands soothingly up and down his back, "I'll be fine. I'm ok. I promise. You don't have to worry about me. Tank will take care of me. You know they'll all take care of me."

He finally seemed to relax in my arms and I gave in to my own moment of weakness, "You'll be careful?"

"No unnecessary risks Babe. I promise if you do."

I nodded against his chest and leaned up for a kiss. He carried me back to the bed. I woke up to him packing. I bit my lip and watched him. When he finished he came over to the bed and pulled me into his arms.

"Don't get shot." I whispered, it was as close to goodbye as I could manage.

"Don't go crazy." He whispered back. Then he kissed me and left.

I curled up and let myself cry. Just this once and then I'd be strong and wait for him.

Days passed with no word and then all I got from Tank was 'He's alive and says Don't go Crazy'. The days turned to weeks and it turned out, Tank was worse than Ranger. I had two body guards at all times, two trackers and a panic button, every time I stepped foot out the RangeMan door. They even came to dinner at my parents house.

Grandma Mazur grabbed Hal's package, accidentally, twice, and sat right in Zero's lap. Junior came wearing a cup and Bobby told her he was married before he told her his name and Woody refused to sit down even to eat. She asked Cal if he had any other tattoos and he'd lifted his shirt to show her two. She lightly tugged his nipple ring and asked if it hurt and he told her not as much as the one on his penis. That made my mother give the sign of the cross and even my father turned a little green and broke momentum with his dinner. Grandma and I both couldn't help our eyes going to his pants. When we left he let grandma rub the flaming skull on his forehead for luck. And Hector, well even Grandma was a little reserved with him, it didn't stop her from telling him she'd always wanted to have dinner with a gang member and asking if he'd been to prison but she didn't try to molest him at all. I think it helped his English was still pretty broken. Lester just flirted right back with her and told her if he were thirty years older she'd be in real trouble. I think she liked that.

I was officially fully recovered and the guys were forcing me to exercise, eat better, and practice with my gun. Tank also insisted on 'make Stephanie aware of her surroundings' games. Hector even broke into the seventh floor apartment a few times, then he'd point a pretend gun and say Bang, then he'd shake his head and leave again. Cal walked up to me going in to Shorty's grabbed me and tossed me over his shoulder and set me down on the trunk of a car. Then he shook his head at me, and said, 'dead' before he handed me my own gun that I hadn't brought with me and bought me lunch. Zero grabbed me at the funeral home, pulling me into a dark room, with no one seeing, not even my body guards who were pretty freaked when we came out, his hand had kept me from screaming as he whispered, "dead" and then let me go with a shake of his head. I was 'kidnapped' and 'killed' so many times I was jumping when Ella came to bring me food. If I took so much as took a step out of the elevator coming down from seven and was unarmed I got glares, head shakes and was strapped with a gun. I was also forced to endure, not just regular workouts, including early morning runs, but self defense classes, which meant the guys pretty well knocked me on my ass for two hours a day.

After six weeks, I wanted a donut and I was ready to shoot someone to get it. I got dressed, strapped myself into a flak vest, buckled into my utility belt and made sure I was fully stocked then I went to the elevator and hit the garage.

Two RangeMen were waiting and I motioned them to the Porsche and we got in. Zero drove, I sat in the passenger seat and Lester was in the back. I directed them into town and we got out. I went straight for the Tasty Pastry.

"Bomber." Zero warned.

I spun on him, "Back off Zero. I'm getting a damn Boston Crème."

Lester laughed, "Sorry Beautiful. Tank's orders. No donuts."

I stalked towards him glaring. "Don't test me today Santos."

"Don't make me haul you over my shoulder and toss you in the trunk to take you back." He laughed at me.

I'd taken my stun gun out while he spoke and then smirked, "Fine." I said and zapped him.

He dropped and I turned on Zero, pulling out my gun and aiming it at him with a steady hand, "I'm getting my damn donut."

He nodded, hands up and let me walk past him. I got two donuts and Zero loaded Lester into the truck.

I moaned through one as Zero drove us back to RangeMan.

I was just finishing my second as the elevator doors opened on Fifth.

Tank was waiting, one eyebrow raised.

I grinned at him and licked some jelly from my finger. "Morning boss."

He shook his head, chuckling, "You did good out there." I frowned at him. "You immobilized Lester and kept Zero in your sights while still getting your donuts."

"Yeah and I noticed you had two more guys following me too." I snorted.

He sent me a smile that was even more rare than Rangers, "Becoming more aware of your surroundings and all potential threats. Proud of you Little Girl, you earned those donuts."

"Does that mean you aren't going to make me run an extra mile for them?" He lifted an eyebrow. "Still worth it." I told him going to my desk. Laughter stopped me and I looked to see Ranger standing in the door to his office. "CARLOS!" I ran and jumped into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist and kissed him for all I was worth.

I felt him move and heard the door slam as he kicked it shut. I took it as an invitation to get him naked. He didn't protest. I wasn't sure which of us was more desperate as we tore at each others clothes. Ranger had been less than gentle with me when passion over came us but this was the roughest he'd ever been and I liked it, was even begging him for more and he gave it. So this is what Batman was like when he lost control. I loved it.

We lay together panting after and I kissed over his racing heart. "Babe."

"I missed you." I told him. As though that hadn't been obvious.

"Did I hurt you?"

I leaned up and grinned at him, "I might be walking funny today but that was so worth it." He chuckled, his hand running soothingly over my back. "I like it when you're rough." I told him with a grin before kissing him. He kissed me back and heat built between us again. He shifted me so that instead of laying beside him, leaning over him to kiss him, I was straddling him. He was already ready for me. "I like it when you're under me too." I told him. He leaned up and kissed me before lifting my hips a little, shifting them and thrusting up into me. I rode him like a wild bronco, my hands braced on his shoulders or behind me on his thighs as I rode to the edge and went screaming over it.

I collapsed on his chest, he was still buried inside of me and his hands were running soothingly over my back. "I missed you too." He told me.

I kissed the spot his neck met his shoulder and sighed. After a little bit he shifted and helped me to stand and we both got dressed. He lifted a brow and handed me my utility belt.

I shrugged, "I really needed a donut this morning." I told him by way of explanation for the glock, two stun guns and hand cuffs loading the belt down.

I strapped it on and he picked up the flak jacket his expression hard, "What hasn't Tank told me yet?" He demanded holding it out.

I shrugged, "What has he told you."

"Babe." Ranger growled.

"Carlos." I moved into his arms to calm him. "I'm fine. It's just a precaution. Tank worries like a new mother every time I go outside."

He held me to him and after a couple heartbeats I pulled away, took the vest and tossed it into a client chair. "Babe?"

"When did you get back?"

"Ten minutes before you. I came down to see where you were when I didn't find you in bed." He lifted an eyebrow, "It's barely eight."

I shrugged, "Tank will come and drag me out of bed and toss me in an ice cold shower if I'm not on my way to the gym by quarter past six."

He lifted an eyebrow in question.

"The guys have all been beating me up." I told him with a pout.

His expression hardened. "Hector even broke in while I was sleeping, Woody left me tied to a chair for an hour, Junior handcuffed me to my desk, Tank locked me in the elevator and Binkie hit me."

"WHAT!" Oh shit, he was really pissed.

"Ranger." I tried to stop him as he stormed out of the office, still not wearing a shirt. "Carlos wait!" I grabbed his arm. Everyone was staring at us some looked concerned, others nervous. "Please."

He pulled me into his side and gave Tank a murderous look, "Explain. Now."

"Ranger." I tried again.

"Tank." He growled.

"Carlos, calm down." I ran my hand on circles on his chest. "Please." I tugged his arm and he let me lead him back into his office. I shut his door quietly and turned back to him. "It's ok. No one here would ever hurt me. You know that." I walked into him and his arms wrapped around me protectively.

There was a knock on the door. "Ranger? Little Girl?" Tanks voice floated in to us and Ranger growled.

"Come in Tank." I called.

Tank came in and closed the door. I turned in Rangers arms, leaning back against him. He spared a quick look to a still fuming Ranger but focused his attention on me, his tone gentle and filled with concern, "You ok Little Girl?"

I nodded, "I maybe made a mistake but I figured you'd told him what you were doing." He lifted a brow in question, "Operation Make Bomber More Aware." I reminded him.

"Operation what?" Ranger asked.

I shrugged, sensing he'd calmed down and stepped out of his arms so I could face him, "It's what the guys were calling it." He lifted a brow. "They've been trying to help me. That's why I needed to stun Lester to get a donut this morning." I sent a glare to Tank, "Tank wont let me have any."

"You get donuts on Sunday." He reminded me.

I snorted and rolled my eyes, "And I have to eat sticks and twigs every other morning."

"Babe." Ranger interrupted our stare down.

I turned back to him, "Since you left Tank's been making me eat better and exercise. It wasn't so bad at first because it was easy stuff like walking the treadmill. Everyday he made it harder though and started making me get up earlier. Now he's General Hard Ass." I snorted. "I have to run six miles four times a week!" Ranger and Tank chuckled at my indignant tone.

Ranger's amusement faded, "The elevator, tied to a chair and someone hitting you?" he reminded me growing angrier with each word.

"They've also been trying to get me to be more aware of my surroundings." I told him with an eye roll, "It's become a big game to them, who can sneak up and kill Stephanie with a finger gun." I told him making the gun with my hand and saying "Bang. I lose." I rolled my eyes, "That escalated to who can kidnap Stephanie and I'd get snatched by the men and dragged into a room or closet or they'd sit me on a trunk and I'd loose or they'd tie me up and leave for a few hours or until I got free which only happened after I gave in and demanded they show me how to get out of handcuffs and how to deal with being tied up and how to break out of a building or into one to hide."

"They'd hit you when they did this?" He growled, still angry but a lot less and with a lot more reservation and doubt, he definitely wasn't on the verge of killing them anymore.

"No." I assured him, "They only do that during self defense and a lot of times they make me hit them and just stop me."

He nodded and turned to Tank with a lifted brow, "She's good."

I grinned at him, "I suck. I'm always tossed on my ass even though they hold back but thanks."

"You're good Bomber and they don't hold back much these days."

I blushed at the compliment. Tank wasn't a vocal guy and it made me feel good he thought I was doing well. "Thanks."

"I didn't just mean the fighting either." He told me, then turned to Ranger, "Despite her reluctance with one, she's good with a gun. A natural shot. She's aware of her surroundings and changes to them, even in places she considers 'safe' like your apartment or her parents house and today she got past Zero and Lester to get her donut, dropping Les with a stun gun and keeping her glock trained on Zero, she waited in line, bought donut and caught sight of the other two men I had following her. She's shaping up to be one of our best. She grumbles at me every morning but only fights me on the diet half the time and takes the stairs more than the elevator."

It was the longest speech I'd ever heard him make and I blushed straight through it.

"Babe." I turned to Ranger. He was smiling at me. "Proud of you."

I smiled at him and blushed, "Ella might help me cheat the diet sometimes." I admitted sheepishly.

Tank barked out a laugh and I turned to him, I heard him chuckle but never laugh. "I know Little Girl and you'd be surprised how healthy some of her 'cheat' food for you is."

"Really?"

He nodded, "Whole wheat pancakes with blueberries instead of chocolate chips. All natural peanut butter sandwiches, protein powder mixed in cookies, cakes made with apple sauce instead of sugar, she's a genius when it comes to helping you eat better without actually shooting me and I was scared enough that you might the first week that I went to her for help before you spent to much time in the shooting range."

I blushed and laughed, "Was I that bad?"

He lifted a brow and chuckled. "How was your donut this morning?" I blushed and both he and Ranger chuckled.

Tank turned back to Ranger, "She's also learned to throw knives is working on identifying and using ordinary objects as weapons, she's good at following and evasive driving but we have her working on better identifying tails and Bobby has her learning emergency field assistance."

"I also haven't blown up a car since you left." I thought that was important too.

Ranger chuckled and pulled me into his arms, "Proud of you Babe."

I heard Tank let himself out of the office and I leaned up to kiss him. "What about you?" I asked. "I know you can't really tell me anything but you're ok?"

"I'm good." He assured me. "No lasting damage."

"What about fading damage?" I asked pulling back to look at him.

"Just bumps and bruises Babe. Already healed. A good nights sleep and I'll be back to usual."

I nodded and leaned up to kiss him. "I better get to work, the boss just got back and he's a real hard ass." I told him with a grin.

He shook his head and chuckled before kissing me, "I have to get the rest of the updates from Tank."

I nodded, "I'm on a distraction tonight and I have three skips outstanding."

"You're back working for Vinnie?" His expression was shuttered.

I nodded, "Sort of. He's agreed to give all his FTAs to RangeMan and Lula and I go out with my two shadows in tow. Seriously, Tank is worse than you are with the over protective thing. Mostly the FTAs don't even run any more actually most of Vinnie's bonds don't tend to go FTA unless they're already past my apprehension level in your pile or they're my regulars. Mostly just a few first time offenders who either forgot or were to embarrassed to go to court. Then they see us coming and wise up quick. More often I'm doing research for the guys or doing distractions."

He nodded and kissed me again. "Be careful out there."

I nodded, "I promise and you know the boys always have my back."

I let myself out of the office, grabbing my flak vest as I left. At my desk I added pepper spray and extra ammo to my utility belt and went to see who was working with me today. On my way I hugged Lester, "Never get between a girl and her donut Santos. Especially one whose husband's been away so long." I told him with a laugh.

"With the sounds that came out of that office that's not an issue anymore." He teased making me blush. "Careful Santos, I just kept him from killing you for being such a pain the last six weeks, don't make me regret it and go tell him you copped a feel last time you wired me."

He winked, "All in the family."

I laughed and went to get the guys. I had Hal and Woody today. We picked up Lula and the files from Connie and got to work. It was nice having so much backup, things tended to go a lot smoother.

With Ranger home my routines changed again. He woke up in the middle of the night, well five but that was the middle of the night to me. He'd go down to the gym and an hour later I'd join him. I'd run the treadmill or do my strength training and watch him spar with the others, run or lift weights. Then we'd go upstairs together and have a shower. Sometimes we even made it into the shower before I couldn't keep my hands off him. One time we'd only made it half way up the stairs but since the guys had hooted, hollored and a few blushed when we came to five and I remembered the cameras in there, I was careful about waiting till we got in our apartment before attacking him.

We'd get cleaned up, dressed and eat whatever Ella had left us for breakfast. We'd go down to five and he'd kiss me before going into his own office. Usually I wouldn't see to much of him after that unless we passed each other at the station or in the Control room. We'd had _lunch_ in his office and a _private_ meeting in the conference room after the weekly briefing once or twice too. I'd have self-defense or shooting or some other lessons in the evening and then my work day was done and I'd go up and eat. He'd join me if he could, more often than not he'd eat much later though. Some nights I'd do distraction work, a couple times we'd go out, just us or with a couple of the guys but mostly we spent alone time and not just naked alone time, we'd curl up and read together, I know weird but he had books about strategy or would need to read through some manual or research and I'd curl up with a book against him or we'd watch the game or a movie some nights, ok so most of the time it was naked alone time, but not always. Even Batman and I needed a rest. He even came to my parents for dinner a few times and took me to dinner with Abuella Rosa and to some party for a holiday I'd never heard of to meet the rest of his family. Life was good. My marriage was good. I loved my job, my husband and the only thing my mother nagged me about was giving her grandchildren.

After a while, Ranger had to leave again, this time it was a short trip. Like last time, I couldn't say goodbye.

"Don't get shot." I told him instead.

He gave me the thinking about smiling smile and kissed me, "Don't go crazy."

Then he left. I curled up and cried for a bit and nobody said anything about the gym time I missed when I finally did go down. That was the only time I let myself be weak though. After that I stayed busy, increasing workouts and hours I was working, spending more social time with the guys and even going to my parents house more.

Ranger wasn't gone long that trip, just two weeks but I'd jumped him as soon as I saw him again. Ranger was passionate and he could be gentle or demanding depending but when he came back from being in the wind was the only time he was really rough with me. I found I loved it, even if I was a little sore after, and wouldn't mind if he was that way on other occasions as well.

For this I recruited Cal. I was now allowed to leave without two body guards at all times but not without GPS and panic buttons so I went to him.

"Cal?" I called knocking on his apartment door on four.

"Angel." He smiled as he pulled open the door.

"I, um" I blushed.

He chuckled, "What's up Angel?"

"I need your help."

He lifted a brow, "Not from what I hear. You know I drive that SUV sometimes."

I blushed and smacked his chest. I'd forgotten the bug Hector had installed in my SUV that was turned on when I went to make an apprehension. Usually I still had two RangeMen and Lula but this was a regular who only ever gave me minimal trouble and was never violent. Actually he was a nice old man, he was homeless but friendly and always dressed, he just forgot his court dates or didn't feel like going in. He was a regular because sometimes he just couldn't help but take things, usually it was something cheap and totally useless but he couldn't seem to stop himself. I'd run into Ranger in the station and he'd had surveillance the night before so I hadn't seen him in almost twenty-four hours and I hadn't had a donut in days!

"So?" He broke into my embarrassed thoughts.

"Right. Um. Well."

"You can talk to me about anything Angel. You know that." He pulled me into his apartment and led me to the couch. "Sex is never a taboo topic, nothing is."

"You know how he just got back from being in the wind?" He lifted an eyebrow. "Right, well um. He's _different_ those times."

"Different?"

I blushed, "Rougher."

He sighed and ran a hand over his head, "Did he hurt you?"

"No." I shook my head.

He nodded, "It's the adrenaline and the violence and a bunch of other psych shit. He'd never want to hurt you though. If it scares you, just try to give him a day to get back to himself before you two are together."

I shook my head and blushed, "I like it." I whispered.

A smiled grew over his face as he lifted an amused eyebrow, "Wild side huh?" He laughed as my face went bright red. He shook his head, still smiling, "If only I'd met you first Angel." That made me blush harder and my eyes go straight to his crotch. So ok, I was still curious about the piercing. He laughed and my eyes shot away from him, looking anywhere but at him. His hand came to my chin and he gently moved my face until our eyes met, "Don't worry Angel, I have no desire to die or be castrated or I'd have offered to show it to you a long time ago. Instead I play with women who I am less likely to break and don't have husbands capable of taking me out and I get to keep you as a best friend. And as your friend, how can I help?"

I felt more relaxed, he took everything in stride, especially sex, I didn't feel comfortable talking to even Mary Lou and Lula about sex in the same way I did Cal. "I was sort of thinking, maybe, I'd want him to be a little, well, out of control, other times."

Cal nodded, "You could just tell him to be rougher with you."

I shook my head, "It's not that, he's not always gentle with me as it is. It's just, something more about when he gets back. He's… wild and it made me curious."

Cal nodded, "Curious?"

I shrugged, "I was thinking you could help me, maybe, try a few new things."

He lifted a brow, "Not sure introducing you to new things would be good for my life span Angel."

I blushed again and smacked his shoulder, "Cal!"

He chuckled, "What kind of new things Angel?"

I shrugged, "I don't want him to get bored with me."

His expression became serious, "That man will never be bored with you Angel. I've seen him have to bite down on his control just because you walked into a room."

I shook my head, "I know. I just want…" I blushed, "I don't know. It surprised me, liking him like that so much, I wanted to see what else we both might like."

He nodded his smiling having returned, "Ok. Where do you want to start?"

I shrugged and lifted my eyes brows at him, I could never do the one eyebrow, "If I knew that we wouldn't have to have this embarrassing conversation."

He chuckled, "Its about to get worse." I frowned at him, I'd been sure the hard part was over. "Now you have to tell me something you fantasize about."

I snorted, "Ranger."

"More details than that." At my amused look he held up a hand, "About the fantasy not your husband."

I shrugged, "Naked Ranger usually does it for me. So does Sweaty Shirtless Work out Ranger, Corporate Ranger and Bad Ass Mercenary Ranger."

He rolled his eyes, "Favorite."

"Naked Ranger."

He chuckled. "I get it, your husband gets you hot, are you telling me the whole time he was gone you pictured him naked but never had a proper sex dream?"

I shrugged and blushed, "I have lots of those."

"Ok, name one."

"Ranger coming home and getting naked." I shrugged.

He laughed. "Ok, let's try this from another angle. His office, all of us outside can hear you, the stairwell on the monitors and the bugged SUV. What did all these encounters make you feel after?"

"Sated."

"That's it?"

"Embarrassed."

He nodded, "So not into an audience."

"No!"

He chuckled, "A place to start as a no, how about as a yes."

I frowned and shrugged, "I don't know."

He rolled his eyes, "You got the outfit. How was that?"

I sent him a look, "Didn't go quite as I'd planned."

"Ever give it a second chance?" I blushed, that had been a good night, he nodded, "How about after a distraction?" I blushed again. "So playing dress up is fun for you."

I rolled my eyes, "I'm from the Burg, playing dress up is a way of life."

"What turns you on more, in the dressed versions of your husband?"

I tilited my head in thought, "Bad Ass Ranger." I said with a nod, "Corporate Ranger is sexy and Bounty Hunter Ranger is hot but Bad Ass Ranger takes the cake. "Carlos makes me melt too but its different."

"Carlos?"

"Casual Ranger is Carlos. He's just my husband. He's sweet and caring and holds me, even covered in garbage, after a bad bust or a car explodes. He carries me to bed and teases me until I beg." I blushed coming back from my own imagination to Cal chuckling.

"What's the difference between Bounty Hunter and Bad Ass?"

"He's all control and distant as the Bounty Hunter Ranger, as the Bad Ass he's barely restrained power, violence and attitude." I told him, my mind drifting to Ranger.

"So Bad Ass Ranger is the fantasy?"

I nodded, "He's the closest to Ranger just back from the wind."

Cal nodded, "OK so we have dress up, and Bad Ass Ranger to go with."

"Go with?"

"Back to Pleasure Treasures." He said pulling me up from his couch.

"Is it weird for you? Me coming to you with this?" I asked him as he pulled on a coat and grabbed his keys.

He shrugged, "Weird was when my sister came to me and asked me if having a threesome and liking it made her a lesbian. You're my friend Angel, you should be able to be open with me." He put his hand on the small of my back as he guided me to the elevator, "I'm jealous as hell he has a woman like you but while I'd have loved having you in my bed, I've never had a woman friend like you before and I like that more."

"Really?" I asked him smiling.

He nodded and nudged me into the elevator. "Women come and go in my bed but you're the only one who has ever really seemed to care about me or wanted to get to know me. Most of them were taking a walk on the wild side or those who live on the wild side were in it for sex. Women are usually afraid of me, even if we've been together, and some of the games we play take a lot of trust, its their bodies they trust me with not themselves. Having you in my bed would have been temporary, having you as my friend is permanent and I love the way things are."

I hugged him, "I do too Cal."

He hugged me back and then led the way to his truck and helped me in. We went straight to Pleasure Treasures.

"Ranger can do Bad Ass all by himself but what do you want to be? Bad Ass Dominatrix, Sweet and Innocent Damsel in Distress?"

I shrugged, "I don't think I can pull off Dominatrix and Sweet and Innocent might make him be gentle."

"How about Captive?" He held up lace cuffs and I blushed.

"You think he'd like that?" I asked thinking about being tied up for Ranger.

"You could relive the shower incident." He suggested lifting a pair of handcuffs.

"Mine didn't have fuzzy shit on the end and he didn't even look."

Cal laughed, "He looked Angel."

I blushed, "Sneaky Bastard."

He nodded and we moved through the store until I had everything I wanted and a few things Cal added that made me a little nervous, for my Operation Make Ranger Lose His Control.

I went up to seven and showered, did the shaving thing and the nice smelling lotion thing and then the hair and the makeup things. Then I stood staring at the bed nervously. I took in a breath and attached the cuffs to the headboard in case he decided to use them. I put several of the things away for future trial as Cal suggested. Tonight was pretty simple. Tease Ranger.

I was ready when he came home in a killer dress. The skirt was short and the back was non-existent a little extra material had it falling in a scoop just above my ass though the rest of the dress was all but skin tight. I couldn't wear anything under it but one of the itty bitty thongs. I also had one five inch FMPs.

I was just pulling dinner out of the oven when I felt the tingles telling me he was there. I turned to see him watching me with dark eyes. "Don't worry, I didn't try to cook for you." I joked putting the dish on top of the stove.

"Babe." His voice was low and I could hear the desire.

I turned and smiled at him, "How's your temple? Will you have some wine with me?" He nodded so I poured us both a glass.

"Do you like the dress?" I thought it would be good for a distraction job.

He nodded once, "It might be a little to distracting." He reached a hand around me as I moved closer to give him his wine.

Pulled against his body I couldn't help but moan a little and rub against him before forcing myself away to get my own wine. Driving him crazy might drive me crazy first.

"Babe?" He seemed confused by my stepping away from him. I wasn't known for patience in the get Ranger Naked area.

"We need to talk." I nodded to the table and set about making us both plates.

He sat back, wary, while I brought over dinner. I sat down and smiled at him, taking a sip of wine before starting to eat.

I moaned at the first bite. Ella had made some kind of payaya and it was just the right spicy. It helped to take my hormones off Ranger.

"Babe." He growled after a bit. I looked over to see his eyes black and his dinner untouched.

"Don't you like it?" I asked taking another bite.

I saw his grip tighten on his glass, "If you want to talk you have to stop making those noises." He half growled.

I blushed and nodded, pleased to be affecting him when I hadn't been trying. "Eat Ranger." I nodded to his dish and waited until he finally began to eat before going back to my own meal.

I ate a few more bites and sat back to watch him. "I wanted to talk about sex."

He choked on the wine he'd been about to drink. "Babe."

"You ok?" I got up and got him some water.

"Babe?" He was watching me intently.

I blushed, "We need to talk about the other day." He lifted a brow in question; damn I wish I could do that. "When you got back."

He nodded and his expression become unreadable, "Did I hurt you?"

"No." I snorted, "You'd know if you had."

"Did I scare you?" He continued, looking dark. I knew it was directed at himself and not me.

"No." I assured him. "You never scare me Ranger."

He lifted a brow, I usually called him Carlos when we were home, "You're my husband Carlos, no part of you, even the dark parts, will ever scare me." He nodded but didn't look convinced. "You have so much control. I've only ever seen you lose it with me twice."

"It wont happen again." He told me.

I sighed, "That would be a shame."

His eyes were studying me again, his expression unreadable. I sighed, "I like you like that Ranger. I love it really." He didn't seem to believe me. "I got up and went into the bedroom and came back with handcuffs."

"You know, when you took these off the first time we were ever together you said not that night as though it would be another time. You've never used them on me though."

His eyes were going dark with lust again as I played with them. "I've had more than one fantasy about things going very differently the time I was handcuffed to the shower." Yup, all reservation and self anger replaced by dark lust now. I grinned at him and leaned closer. "What do you fantasize about Ranger?"

"You."

"Carlos." I pressed.

"Everything." He told me, his eyes raking my body.

"You can have it." I smirked at him and he reached for me but I pulled back, "If you can take it."

He seemed unsure as I walked away from him, swaying my hips as much as I could without looking like I needed hip replacement. I didn't hear the chair or his feet and only knew he was behind me when he grabbed me to pull me back into his chest. I moaned a little, giving myself a second to enjoy his Bulgari and then pulled away, using my self-defense training. He blocked my moves, having trained with me before. This time the element of sex was in every move. He pinned me to him and I moaned rubbing against him like a cat in heat then used his distraction to twist away and booked it to the bedroom, he caught me in three strides and picked me up over his shoulder smacking my ass lightly. I wiggled against him surprised that it turned me on so much. Something else to explore. He dropped me onto the bed and used his weight to pin me and held my wrists in one hand over my head. I was done fighting him though and just wrapped my legs around his waist and rocked up into him.

He kissed me hard. "If I let you go are you going to be good?"

"I'm always good Ranger." I laughed.

He growled, "I still have my cuffs in my back pocket."

"Hmmm." I moaned and rocked against him again. He swore. "I made it easy for you." I told him, he lifted an eyebrow and I turned my head to the headboard.

He stilled when he saw the lace cuffs and then groaned and kissed me, hard. I kissed him back and then his hands were on my body, he lifted me his eyes hard, then yanked the dress off and bit my nipple. It sent shock waves through me and I moaned and clawed at his shirt. He let me get it off and went back to biting various parts of my body, soothing the hurt with his tongue before moving on to another part. I wasn't content to let him control things so much though so I fought against him a little.

He cursed as I pulled him to me for a brutal kiss and then bit his shoulder, sucking on the skin lightly. He bit my nipple, hard, in retaliation. I yelped and moaned and rocked into him.

I heard my panties rip and felt him plunge two fingers deep inside me. I clawed at his back, "Fuck me. Now."

He growled at the order but pulled out of me and yanked my body tighter to his before slammed home. I screamed and then bit him again, making him curse. His control was shattered and he began to pound into me while I met him with each thrust, clawing at his back and panting.

Coming down from my high a little later, I sighed happily. Ranger was holding me close, his hold secure but his touch gentle.

"Did I hurt you?" He whispered.

"No." I hummed.

His finger tweaked my nipple and it sent shock waves through me, my nipples were sensitive but not that much, I looked to see the bruise.

"You gave my boob a hickey." I laughed.

"I hurt you." He said.

I sat up and moved to sit astride him, "Please don't do that."

"What?"

"Pull away from me."

"Babe."

"I like it Carlos. I like when you're rough with me. I like when you lose control and I like what we just did, nipple hickey and all." I smiled and ran my fingers over his shoulder, "I like that I left my own mark on you too." I leaned down to kiss him and things quickly escalated. When his hand went to my breast I moaned and arched into the sting.

We didn't end up using the cuffs but in the four times he took me over the night, he was only gentle the last time, waking me from sleep with gentle kisses and magic fingers.

I was a little sore as I showered but loved every delicious ache. I went back in the bedroom and saw the cuffs.

"Leave them there. I have plans for those." Ranger told me coming out of the closet.

"Promise?" I winked at him.

He pulled me into his body and kissed me heatedly. When he pulled back there was something more in his eyes than passion. "Carlos?" I asked reaching up to touch his jaw.

He shook his head and kissed my palm. "How did I get so lucky." He asked quietly.

I grinned at him, "I'm married to Batman and you think you're lucky?"

He chuckled but the unidentifiable look was still in his eyes as he leaned down to kiss me, "I love you." He whispered.

"You have to leave again?" I asked suddenly worried that was the look. He'd only been gone a short time last time but he'd just gotten back.

The shake of his head relieved me, "No. Not yet."

"Good." I smiled at him and kissed him again. "I'm not ready just yet."

He smiled and then kissed my forehead and left.

Perfect. My life was perfect. I thought as I floated through the next week. I'd been out of the hospital for six months and my life was better than ever before. I was happy, completely and totally happy. Even when I accidentally got the SUV I was driving blown up while chasing a skip.

"It's a record for you." Carl told me as he arrived at the scene and came over.

"I've gotten more than one car at a time before." I told him looking at the mess of three cars still smoking.

He laughed nodding, "I meant how long it took you to lose this one."

I chuckled and nodded, "Yeah, I guess that's true."

"How have you been?"

"Never better." I grinned at him.

"Good." He nodded. "Manoso?"

"He's good." I smiled, I knew the guys in the force had been rooting for Joe out of cop loyalty but I was glad they were all happy for Ranger and I.

"Babe?" Ranger came over to us with Tank behind him.

I knew this was the 'Are you ok?' Babe, so I nodded, "It wasn't my fault."

He shook his head with a small smile, "Never is Babe."

"It wasn't even my FTAs fault though." I told him with a laugh.

"What happened?" Carl finally asked.

I shrugged, "My FTA was running to his car and I was running after my FTA, its Dougie Seranno again, I swear he goes FTA just to play with me." I chuckled shaking my head, "Anyways, we're both running for the street and that car comes speeding down the road, another car shooting at it and it slams right into the space between me and Dougies cars. The guy slides out and crawls to the side and boom all three cars go up."

Carl shook his head and walked over to the bus where the driver of the car was getting patched up.

"Serrano?" Tank asked.

"He came over to make sure I wasn't hurt, then got me water," I nodded to the bottle still on the curb where I'd been waiting for them. "He took off when the sirens came and said he'd see me soon." I shook my head. Some of my regulars were real characters.

Tank nodded and Ranger pulled me into his arms for a kiss. "Ready to go?" He asked.

"Yeah." I nodded and let him lead me to his Turbo. I caught our reflection in the window, the smoke from the cars behind us.

Rangers grip tightened as I swayed, "Babe?"

I shook my head, "I'm fine." He didn't look convinced. "Just a headache, I'll lie down for a bit when we get home." He nodded and settled me in the car.

The headache got worse and my sleep was interrupted by strange dreams. Ranger found me in the kitchen with papers and color pencils at four am.

"Babe?"

I looked up, "Sorry, did I wake you?"

"What are you doing?" I shrugged and focused back on the paper. "Babe?"

"It's been six months Carlos."

He moved closer and looked down at the papers, "My memories still don't fit right." I told him with a sigh. "I just thought this might help." It was a timeline and I'd printed off everything I could find about Ranger and I, our trip to Hawaii and our marriage.

"Babe." He pulled me into his arms.

I pulled away and smiled up at him, "I just couldn't sleep. I slept most of yesterday because of the headache. I'm fine, really."

He nodded, but still looked worried so I led him back to bed. I waited until he left for work to get back to my timeline and tried to work at it for a while but my headache was getting worse. I looked over and saw a photo of Ranger and I on the counter and sighed. It didn't matter really. I wasn't sure why I was obsessing or what was bothering me. So I told my spidey sense to piss off and went to shower and get dressed.

It was three weeks later, I was walking in the mall when I saw her reflection in a store window. I turned and she smiled at me. I shivered. She had long dark hair and distinctive blue eyes. My hand immediately went to the healed gun shot wound.

She saw and met my eyes again and mouthed 'I'm sorry.'

I nodded and she turned and walked away.

I went to a bench and sat down. Six people stopped to ask if I was ok before I was met with black boots in my field of vision. I looked up to find two worried RangeMen.

"Angel?" Hector met my eyes and I gave him a weak smile.

"You ok Bomber?" Bobby asked sitting next to me.

I nodded and then shook my head, "I saw her." I whispered, a little worried about their reactions.

"Saw who?" Bobby asked.

"The girl." I told him, my hand again going to the scar.

Hector was instantly scouting the area, his expression terrifying and that wasn't an over statement, people literally took a step back as his eyes found them, he'd assess them in an instant and move on to someone else, as soon as his eyes left them the people would retreat from us.

Bobby helped me to stand and Hector took position on my other side. They escorted me out of the mall, Hector with his hand on the butt of the gun strapped to his side and Bobby on the phone with Tank already.

I rolled my eyes as two RangeMan SUVs skidded to a stop as Bobby helped me into the back of his. "What does she look like?" He asked me.

"You can't go find her." I told him, knowing they were all ready to kill her.

"Babe." Ranger growled.

I met his eyes, "She didn't try to hurt me." I frowned, "She apologized."

"She spoke to you?" Bobby asked.

I shook my head, "I saw her across the mall, she looked sad and mouthed the words."

"Describe her." Tank demanded.

I shook my head again.

"Angel." Cal pleaded with me.

I turned to meet his eyes, I took a minute to meet all their eyes and settled on Ranger, "She's just a little girl Carlos." I bit back tears, "No older than Julie." I swallowed, "I can't sign her death warrant." Tears were streaming down my face, "She's just a hurt little girl and she didn't mean to hurt me."

He nodded and pulled me into his arms but every line in his body was tense. He got in the back seat with me. A first since Ranger always drove. He held me tightly to him the whole way home.

I had terrible dreams all night long and I woke up crying every time that broken little girl walked up to me, bleeding on a cement floor and told me she was sorry.

Ranger held me tightly and kissed away my tears. His eyes were dark and haunted and his body ridged and I knew I didn't wake him with my nightmares; he didn't sleep.

I was tired and my headache was back with a vengeance the next day. I did my best to go about my day and when I walked into the control room and saw the worried looks of my Merry Men I felt stronger. I smiled at them and hugged them and reassured them I was fine.

I took the Turbo and drove around for a while. I ended up in front of Morelli's house and just sat and stared at it for a little while. My spidey sense was going crazy only I didn't know what it was about. I drove to the Bonds Office and then past the Station and finally to the hospital. I walked around for a while and stopped to talk to nurses I knew. Something wasn't right and I wasn't sure what it was. I left and drove to my old apartment and thought about all the old break ins. I went in to visit my old super and he told me the place was still empty. There were full disclosure laws and more than one person had been killed there. Nobody seemed to want to bad juju of living there. He gave me a key and let me go up and I walked around and then just stood in the living room for a while. Finally I went back home. I walked into the kitchen and saw Rex on his wheel and my cookie jar on the counter, my old .38 was still inside.

I looked up as Ranger walked inside, smiling at me, "Babe?"

I saw spots and felt a wave of dizziness and then my legs gave out as blackness took over.


	9. Chapter 9

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

I blinked awake and found Bobby leaning over me, Ranger was on my other side holding my hand and a few of the guys were standing worried behind Bobby.

"What?"

"You fainted." Bobby smiled gently at me.

I frowned, "I did?"

He nodded, "How do you feel?"

I shrugged as best I could lying on the bed, "Fine."

He nodded, "No headache?"

"Not right now."

"Did you eat today?"

I thought about it, I didn't normally miss a meal, "I had lunch with the girls at the Bonds Office."

He nodded, "Good."

"Bobby?" Ranger demanded.

"All her vitals are normal." He confirmed and then looked from him to me and back again a couple times and then blushed, "I think maybe there could be one possibility I haven't tested for."

"I'm not pregnant." I told him, his blush giving him away. If Cal was the most open about sex I'd ever met, Bobby was the shiest.

"Babe?"

I rolled my eyes, "I'm on the pill."

"It's happened to women before Bomber." Bobby told me. "It can't hurt to check."

I rolled my eyes, "Fine. Get a pee stick." Maybe that was why I was feeling so off lately. A baby. I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

Ten minutes later a stick had been produced and I'd peed on it. Negative. I rolled my eyes as I handed, both to Bobby, "See. I told you. Both are no. I'm not pregnant and I've fine."

"Babe?"

I rolled my eyes, "Carlos, I feel fine. I promise." I moved closer to him and wrapped myself around him, "Want me to prove it?"

He chuckled and leaned down to kiss me, "Rest tonight. Prove it tomorrow." He told me.

I rolled my eyes at him and huffed, "Fine."

I went to bed and let Bobby give me something to sleep.

"You're a line in my entertainment budget." I heard Ranger's voice in my dreams. "My love comes with a condom, not a ring." Then I saw him, he was putting on his watch and looking at me, "Go back to Morelli." Then he walked out. The scene changed but the image was the same, Ranger walking away from me. Then it was Morelli and Ranger fighting. When it changed again, a car exploded. Ranger walked up with his usual 'Babe' to ask me if I was ok and Morelli came to see if I was ok with his usual 'Jesus Cupcake' then he kissed me and we were standing in his kitchen and I'm fresh out of a shower telling him about my skip throwing things at me in the kitchen of a restaurant and the stove catching fire, 'Jesus Cupcake, you give me heartburn.' I laugh and roll my eyes, and he leers at me and then kisses me again. Then I'm in the warehouse and the little girl is holding a gun and her eyes are ice blue and glacial cold as she pulls the trigger. I hear sirens in the distance but I know it's to late.

Ranger isn't there when I wake up. I shower and dress and take the turbo out for a drive. I still have the keys to my old apartment and I go there. I walk up the stairs and I hesitate at the door. I open it and in my head I see everything the way it was. I see a little girl holding a photo of me and Morelli and she looks up at me her eyes so very sad. "I'm sorry." She says and then I feel the prick of a needle and slump to the floor. My hands are shaking as I walk out of my apartment and go back to the parking lot. I use the internet on my phone to google the place I was found and drive out to the warehouse.

I walk inside and I can see the dark spot on the ground where my blood has stained the cement. I walk around the room and over to the window.

I heard her voice in my head, "Why did you call him? Why not the cop."

"Why?" I breathed out in the quiet room.

I could hear her voice again, both of us as though the conversation were being whispered back by the walls around me.

"To punish him."

"Ranger?"

"No."

"Joe?"

"I thought I'd twist the knife by letting him hear your voice one last time. I'd say you wrecked my plans but I'll be sure he knows your last call wasn't for him."

"I love him." I whispered aloud again to the quiet room.

"Not as much obviously." My ghost memory responded.

As much as I loved Joe I couldn't give him what he deserved, I couldn't give him all of me, because deep down, I belonged to Ranger.

"I'm sorry." I heard her voice, a broken plea and closed my eyes.

I turned back to the room and circled around it searching for more answers. There were none here.

I walked outside and saw the Porsche had been joined by two SUVs, Ranger, Bobby, Cal and Tank stood watching me.

"Babe?" Ranger stepped closer to me.

I backed away from him, "Why don't my memories fit?"

"Babe." He sighed.

"They took me from my apartment Ranger."

He nodded, "You still lived there for appearances. No one knew we were married Babe. They just knew you stayed with me a lot."

I frowned at him, my heart was beating to fast and my spidey sense was going mad. I looked at each of them and then took another step back.

"Little Girl." Tank took a step towards me and my eyes flew to him.

"I want to be alone." Tank shook his head.

I turned to Ranger, "What are you going to do hand cuff me and drag me back."

He lifted an eye brow and it made me blush but I took another step back. His expression became more serious, "Just keep one with you. For my sanity. Please."

I looked over them all, "Hector."

I thought I saw hurt flash across Cal's face.

Ranger just nodded and flicked open his cell. We stood, none of us speaking, until a third SUV arrived and Hector stepped out.

Tank took the SUV he'd been driving, Ranger his own and Bobby and Cal the third. Hector came over to me with a frown, "Angel?"

I walked straight into his arms and when he held me tightly to him I gave in to the tears. He just held me, no soothing words, no questions. He just held me to him until it stopped. I stepped away.

"Would you help me? If I asked?"

"Anything." He nodded.

"Anything?" He nodded without hesitation.

"I need to get as much information as possible about someone over the last year of their life."

"Who?"

"Me."

He frowned at me, "Why?"

"Something doesn't fit Hector and I'm scared of what it is."

"You think Ranger lies to you."

I hated it but I did, tears burned my eyes and fresh paths down my cheeks as I nodded, "Yes."

"Others would help are better with searches."

I shook my head, "I can do that part myself. I have been."

"What can I do Angel?"

"Set me loose for a couple hours."

He frowned at me, "I know they have trackers on me that I don't know about Hector. I know you have me bugged and I know you can disable all of them, I also know if I disable even just the ones I know about, they'll get suspicious and come find me but I think you know how to fix the transmitters so it doesn't happen."

He didn't look happy. "What do you want to do?"

"I need to get a few questions answered."

"Not alone."

"Please."

He shook his head, "I'll do what you ask but you stay right with me until we're home again."

I swallowed and nodded my agreement. This was why I asked for him. Cal would have helped me but Hector was the tech genius.

Hector motioned to the car I'd driven here and I got in the passenger seat, he made a phone call talking in rapid Spanish and drove us to my parents house.

"Undress." He told me in the garage and then stepped out. I heard another car and his arm appeared with new clothes. I removed my sun dress and sandals and put them all on. The jeans were snug but thankfully stretchy. The tank was a little short, ok a lot short but the leather jacket fit like a dream and was butter soft. When I walked out he nodded to my shoes and I took them off and he handed me biker boots and then a helmet.

"Angel, Camille." He introduced us. "She's you today." He said something in Spanish and she disappeared in the garage. A man who looked a lot like Hector began speaking in rapid Spanish, "Angel, my brother, Luis."

The man nodded. "Estephania."

I smiled at him, "Thanks for helping."

He said something in Spanish I didn't understand.

"He says you're his baby brothers Angel and he'll protect you with his life." I turned back to Camille who'd come out of the garage in my clothes. "Hector saved my life once, I owe him everything." She answered my next unspoken question and then walked over to Luis, "He also introduced me to Luis." She kissed him and he grinned at her.

Hector rolled his eyes, "Vaya." Hector waved at them and then said something more in rapid Spanish.

Luis nodded and tossed Hector keys and then he and Camille got in the Porsche. Hector handed me a helmet and walked over to the motorcycle. I grinned at him. "Riding on that will make this worth the effort no matter what." He sent me a grin and then something crossed his eyes before he muttered in Spanish to himself and got on the bike.

I wasn't sure where he was taking me but I felt safe with him and for the moment, free of the weight pressing down on me and the swirling mist of memories that don't seem to match but I know the one thing Ranger wouldn't ever do is lie to me. Nothing would make him betray my trust or our bond like that. From the beginning he'd only ever told me the truth, he'd keep secrets, so many secrets, I knew almost nothing about him for so long, because he wouldn't lie. Ranger would _never_ lie to me. I was sure of it, except something deep inside me, a dark voice I didn't want to listen to, kept telling me it was wrong, he was lying, I wasn't sure what it was about but it didn't matter, I trusted him and he lied, even if he had a reason, even if I could forgive it, could I ever trust him again? I didn't think so. Not so completely and blindly. He'd have broken us. But he hadn't, he wouldn't, Ranger would never lie to me, not for anything.


	10. Chapter 10

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

**Ranger…**

"The delusion is breaking." Hector's rapid Spanish confirmed my worst nightmare. "She's questioning her memories and thinks you're lying to her. She's asked me to throw RangeMan off her tail for a little bit so she can dig into her own life. She's agreed to stay close to me."

"Do it." I knew she wouldn't find anything that went against what I'd told her. Sophie Blake's work was flawless and I'd made sure everything was legal. "I'll call the doctor and see what we need to do."

He hung up the phone and I dialed Morelli, "Call the doctor, call everyone the delusion is falling apart."

"Damnit Manoso what did you do?" Morelli cursed.

"I don't know." I knew the fear and desperation were leaking out but I couldn't lose her. Everything had been perfect.

"We'll fix it." He said after a long silence and then hung up.

I swung into RangeMan, Tank and Cal having kept pace, pulled in behind me. Bobby's feet hadn't touched the ground when I barked at him, "Call the psych Doc her delusion is fading."

"We don't know that." He tried to calm me.

"She asked for Hector so he could take her offline without letting RangeMan know it. She's questioning the delusion and told him she thought I was lying to her." I spat at him. "Call her doctor!"

Twenty minutes later we were standing in a conference room in RangeMan, much like we had been at the hospital months before.

"It was flawless. I checked everything three times." Sophie said, her eyes darting nervously to me and my men.

"I know." I told her. "We tried to poke holes in it from every angle."

She nodded, looking relieved and I turned to the doctor, "How do we stop the delusion from fading?"

He shook his head, "She might simply not need the delusion of being your wife anymore."

His words cut me like a knife, she was my wife, that wasn't a delusion. He audibly gulped at my expression.

"She's had head aches all week and she fainted yesterday, I gave her a light sedative to help her sleep last night." Bobby spoke up.

"It could just be her mind sorting through her memories and recognizing reality."

"It could be someone trying to poke holes in her delusion and her mind trying to protect itself too." I turned to my cousin in shock and he shrugged, "So I've been reading up on it. I wanted to make sure he wasn't a quack."

I nodded and turned back to the doctor with a lifted brow, he nodded, "It's possible, has anyone taken note of when these head aches occur or why she fainted or a person who might be pushing against the delusion."

I glared at the people around the room, trying to find a guilty conscience.

"I," her mother started, tears in her eyes and voice, "I've been pushing her for grandbabies."

"That would reinforce things mom." Valerie comforted her mother. "She'd have questioned why we didn't not why we did."

"I've only seen her a handful of times in passing, she's friendly but knows her choosing Manoso put a divide between us allowing me to keep my distance and make sure who ever shot her doesn't tie her to me again. I've been trying to work the case from every angle but all my resources are taped."

"She saw her." Cal told them.

"What?" Morelli growled.

I nodded and Bobby filled them all in, "At the mall, she saw her but wouldn't give us a good description. She said she couldn't sign the death warrant of a little girl."

"Little girl?" Mary Lou asked.

I nodded again, "She said the girl looked about my daughters age."

"We've been looking for a young _woman_ not a child." Gazarra spoke up.

"She said the girl was young but I thought she meant twenties not a child!" Carl added. "She never said it was a kid."

I nodded, "She has now."

"Anything else? Was the sumo guy with her?"

I ran through the event and then shook my head. "Today though she mentioned being taken from her apartment."

"Before she didn't remember how she was taken or where from." Big Dog reminded us, reviewing his notes.

"We didn't want to press her for information to much, in case it hurt the delusion." Carl admitted.

"What do we do?" I turned my attention back to the doctor.

"If the delusion is falling apart on its own, there isn't much that can be done."

"If it isn't?" Tank demanded.

"Her mind will fight to hold on to it and hopefully she'll find nothing to contract what it's telling her."

"So either she'll show back up here and apologize for being a little crazy or she'll show up demanding answers about why we all let her think she was married for the last six months?" Valerie asked him.

"She is married." I growled.

Tank put a hand on my arm and I took a calming breath and locked my emotions away as best I could letting my expressionless mask fall again.

"What?" Grandma Mazur demanded her eyes moving between a pale Lester and the nervous looking doctor.

"What?" I growled, the mask slipping away. I couldn't be emotionless about Stephanie.

"Doc left out a few details in the last meeting." Lester informed us, glaring at the doctor darkly enough to make the man step back slightly.

"I was very clear and serious about the possible repercussions of forcing the delusion from her."

"You weren't so clear on the possible repercussions of letting her live with it either." Lester spat back.

"Explain!" I demanded.

"Retrograde amnesia, dissociation disorder, depression and anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorders."

"Those are not all common problems and much more likely to occur if a return to reality was forced." The doctor insisted.

"All?" Mr Plum caught the one word.

He shifted in position, "In many cases the patient has mild amnesia surrounding the delusional life."

"Meaning?" Manny growled, asking the question I couldn't seem to get enough oxygen for.

"She'll have no memory of the last six months." Lester spat.

"Why didn't you say anything?" The doctor tried to redirect the attention of the angry room.

"I'm not a doctor or psychiatrist. I started reading about post-traumatic stress, amnesia, delusions and the side effects when this happened. I've been sorting through hundreds of books and theories on different disorders. By the time I brought it up with Bobby and the possibilities for this hurting her it had been five months and there was no sign she was going to remember it wasn't real!"

"Amnesia is a possibility but its not definite nor even a likelihood as her delusions were based out of reality, she already had a relationship with Mr. Manoso she simply removed the element of Detective Morelli."

"You thought they were sharing her." Carl whispered. All eyes bugged out and shot to her before turning back to the doctor.

The doctor stiffened his spine, his voice was clinical and removed, "I'm not aware of the circumstances of her involvement with either male, I was only made aware that she had intimate relationships with both very recently and while her current attachment was publically Detective Morelli, her delusion favored Mr. Manoso."

Tank's hand on my arm kept me from hitting the man but I felt a sick sense of joy when Mr. Plum's fist shot out and I heard the crunch of the doctor's nose. "That's my daughter you're bad mouthing." He growled.

The blood was pouring out of the young doctors, very broken nose as he glared at us, "Would you rather she sat in a room staring out a window day in and day out, screaming nightly with nightmares so strong her body convulses and she has to be strapped down to the bed for her own safety? That has been my sisters life for the last twelve years! Or maybe you'd rather she killed herself, or became so confused and felt so threatened she killed someone else or if she suffered complete amnesia and never remembered any of you? Or any number of other possibilities forcing her from the delusion could have caused."

"Cases like those are rare. It's terrible what happened to your sister but it's not common and while we might not have risked Beautiful you never prepared us for this. She is confused and can feel threatened and afraid and now she doesn't trust any of us to help her, getting herself hurt is a higher possibility." Lester argued back.

"She's trained now and she's trusting Hector." Cal seemed to be assuring himself as much as the rest of us.

"Until she finds out she is still being tracked and he's communicating with us." Hal offered shakily.

"What do we do?" Morelli demanded, glaring at the doctor.

"Lester?" I demanded.

"I'm not a damn psychiatrist!" He spat "I read a few books."

"What if we told her the truth now?" Valerie asked. "If the delusion is failing maybe we can just explain."

The doctor shifted, "You don't know do you?" Gazara growled.

He shook his head, "It might help and it might do the opposite."

I met his eyes; "If my wife doesn't come back to me soon, if she has one hair on her perfect head out of place or so much as one black spot in her memory I'll make you disappear." I ignored the fact that there were three cops, the head of the Crime Scene Unit and a woman free-lancing for the FBI and CIA, in the room as I made this threat.

The doctor was so pale he was going green as I continued to stare at him. His eyes darted to Morelli who just snorted and rested his hand on the butt of his gun, his glare almost as dark as mine.

"I encouraged the best course of action." He said shakily.

"Would you have made a different choice if you knew?" Sophie asked me softly. I turned to look at her, I knew my rage was affecting her but she continued, brave like my Babe. "Would you have risked her mind then on the chance this could end badly?"

I hated that she was right and I wouldn't have but I'd have been more prepared for it.

"We'd have safe guards in place." Bobby argued.

"Don't you?" She asked him. "The marriage is legitimate, you have a man with her and no doubt you have other resources and safe guards in place as well." Her eyes left Bobby to skim my men before landing on me, "I know you're afraid for her but we've all done everything we can for her. _You_ did everything you could for her. To keep her safe."

I gave her a brief nod and left the room, I made it all the way to the sanctum of my office before I broke collapsing into a chair I kept for clients and dropping my head in my hands.

I heard the door open and a moment later a glass was touching my fingers. I took it and drained the whiskey. Tank filled it again and his own before sitting down in the other chair. Morelli followed a moment later. I gave him a slight nod and Tank handed him the bottle. He took a swig directly from it and cursed.

"We have to find out what happened to her. We have to figure out who this girl is."

I nodded, "I've had every resource searching."

"And?"

"All we got was some shitty security footage of the girl at the mall. She left out a side door and the camera's didn't reach her transportation. No sign of the Sumo guy at all. The kid looked about ten or eleven, long hair, she couldn't have been taller than five two. Steph told us her hair was dark and she had blue eyes."

"Does it make you think of a woman you slept with?" Tank asked.

"A decade ago?" Morelli lifted an eyebrow.

"Shit." I muttered and drank down the whiskey.

"Shit." Morelli cursed. We sat in silence for a while before he spoke again, "You really love her." I nodded once and a minute later he added, "This is over you don't plan on giving her back."

I lifted my head so our eyes met, "She's mine."

He gave a slight nod, accepting it and telling me to protect her.

I nodded back, telling him I'd always protect her and accepting his unspoken vow that if she left me he'd be waiting.

We both loved her, once I'd agreed with him that I was the more dangerous for her, maybe I still was but we both knew I could protect her better. I wouldn't go so far as to say I loved her more, I knew he loved her and like I had been, he was ready to love her enough to let her go not only because it was what she'd chosen but because it was in her best interest but what if she didn't choose me any more? I'd lied to her. It had been to keep her safe but I had still lied. Could she forgive that? Would it be better for her if she didn't? Maybe a fresh start away from me and Morelli, but could I let her walk away into the unknown and all its dangers? Even when she'd been with Morelli I hadn't really been able to let her go, not fully. She was like a limb, or more she was like my lungs, a part of me I needed to survive now. Please god, keep her safe and bring her back to me.


	11. Chapter 11

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

**Stephanie… **

Hector rode us away from my parents house and straight into an area I didn't frequent on the edge of gangland.

"Hector?"

"You're safe here with me." He promised. "That," he pointed two houses down, "Is my mama's house. We can get something to eat and you can tell me where I'm taking you from here."

I nodded relieved and handed him the helmet. He placed his hand on the small of my back and led me into the little house. It was filled with people, many of them a little scary but they all nodded to me while Hector spoke to them in Spanish. A large, rounded Spanish woman came out and hugged him, speaking angrily and he shook his head and then introduced us.

"My Mama."

"Estephania." She said with a smile and hugged me, followed by a string of more Spanish.

"She says its good to meet you." He told me as she pulled me into the kitchen. I was handed a beer and had food set in front of me, "Most of my family only speak Spanish." Hector apologized.

"You only spoke Spanish when I first met you too." I reminded him.

He nodded, and pointed to the food, "Eat Angel."

The food was amazing, homemade Mexican that had me moaning and accepting seconds without caring if Tank made me run it off in the morning.

That thought stilled me, "Talk about it?" Hector offered. I shrugged and bit back tears, he wiped them away, "I'm no good with this Angel. No good with words or understanding and much worse when its foreign speaking."

I nodded, "It's ok. I'm ok."

He shook his head, "Let me call Cal or Manny or someone. Who do you trust?"

I shrugged, "That's just it, I don't know."

He looked so sad as he wrapped me in his arms and let me cry.

After a minute I got myself under control and his mother and two other women who'd just arrived shooed him out. I saw him on the phone in the backyard as hot tea was set in front of me.

His mother said a bunch of things in Spanish and I just stared at her, uncomprehending. "You talk now, with us." She managed in English.

I smiled through the tears coming again, "I'm Lucia. Hectors cousin." One of the girls came over and sat with me.

I smiled at her, "It's nice to meet you."

"You too."

"You speak very good English." I told her with a smile.

She nodded, "I work at a center Hector found for you where language classes are taught." I frowned at her not sure what that had to do with me, "He wanted to learn because his Angel didn't speak Spanish."

I blushed, "It's not, we've never…"

She shook her head, "I know." Then she tilted her head in thought. "You didn't know he was gay? I suppose its not surprising, he never talks about his relationships or sexuality, he never really said all that much to anyone about anything growing up."

"Hector's gay?"

She nodded, "I used to think it was why he was so hard, why he worked so hard to distance himself and be feared. It can't have been easy growing up as a homosexual in a predominately Catholic and gang violent area."

"It must have been terrible and lonely." I let my eyes wander outside to Hector my heart aching for him.

"I suppose but Hector was… feared." She sighed. "We know who he was before prison, who he has been since working with Ranger and who he is now. He's a different person and my Auntie doesn't light a candle every night that he is safe wherever he is and that he lives through the night anymore. You saved him, you're his angel."

His mother nodded and pointed to me, "ángel" And then out to Hector, "Dios le dio una oportunidad para la cancelación enviándolo y el ángel para proteger. Su alma es guardada en su amor para usted. Mi hijo fue regresado a mí cuando usted lo encontró."

"She says God gave Hector a chance at redemption by sending him an angel to guard. His love of you saved his soul and that meeting you gave her son back to her."

I bit back tears and smiled at his mother but shook my head, "I didn't do anything."

His mother shook her head, "Angel." She insisted. "Angel de mi hijo."

"Ranger saved him from gang life but meeting you changed him Stephanie. You are his Angel whether you see it or not."

"I don't deserve so much praise, really, I don't even know him that well."

She smiled sadly at me, "I know and still you love him, you saved him, first his life and then his soul." I thought back to the third time I had met Hector. I was meeting the Merry Men for pizza and was running late. I'd seen the car slow and the gun aimed for Hector's back as he was walking into Shorty's and I'd made a run for him, I was screaming, he turned to me still not seeing the approaching car and was so shocked that when I pummeled into him, he was thrown off balance and we crashed through the window of Shorty's door landing in a heap of glass as bullets fired above us. Hector had held me so tightly to him I couldn't breath and rolled so his body was protecting mine. We both had cuts from the shards of glass but were alive.

"I couldn't watch him get shot in the back." I shook my head and shivered.

Lucia nodded, "Most might just have called out a warning."

"I did but it wasn't enough."

She smiled at me. "You risked yourself for him. No one ever did anything like that before. Even the members of the Brotherhood, his gang, they would have let him get shot and avenged his injury or death. You befriended him, you loved him," the way she said each word it was like it was some kind of saintly act, "You brought him home and sat him down and shared bread with you kin."

I shifted, uncomfortable with how Lucia and Hector's mother seemed to view my befriending Hector as something so unique and special, "He was doing guard duty, most of the Range Men took a turn braving the crazy of my family for a night." I tried to joke it off.

"He could have guarded you from the perimeter, you didn't have to welcome him to your table. He's never been invited to sit at the table of any one else Ranger has had him guard and he's never been warmly welcomed into a home in that kind of neighborhood and treated with respect."

I blushed, "He's my friend."

"Yes." She nodded, "And you are his Angel. I can't explain how much you mean to him, how much your kindness and love of him means to us. You gave us back the Hector we loved so much when he was a little boy. Please, let us help you."

I smiled at Lucia and nodded, "I'm not sure if you can but thank you."

"Just talk to us. Let out what troubles your soul." I thought about it and looked from Lucia to Hectors mother to the quiet woman who stood across from me.

When I looked at her she glared back, "Mi hermano siempre trae problemas. Cosas sólo malas. Usted no trae problemas aquí. "

"Calma. Es Angel de Hector de Dios. Guardó su alma. La ayudaremos. Siempre." Hectors mother snapped at her.

"Hector's sister, Ana." Lucia introduced her.

"What did she say?" Lucia hesitated, "Please?"

She nodded, "She said Hector only brings trouble here and she doesn't want you to bring trouble. I'm afraid she hasn't really forgiven Hector for the past and still worries he'll go back to the destructive path he was on before Ranger, before you." I nodded and she reached out for my hand, "His mother told her to be quiet, that you are Hector's Angel from god, you saved his soul and we'll help you, always."

I smiled at his mother and she motioned to the tea, "Bebida. Hable con nosotros. A veces todo necesitamos es un amigo de escuchar."

"She says to drink and talk with us. Sometimes all we need is a friend to listen." Lucia smiled at me, "I think sometimes it helps too if that friend is someone you don't know."

"Like talking to a bartender."

Ana snorted a laugh and came to sit, "Sí, clean the soul Angel girl."

I looked at her surprised, "You speak English?"

She shrugged, "Little."

I sighed and sipped the tea. "I don't know that I understand so I doubt you will but maybe your mother is right. God knows I need to talk to someone because I think I'm going crazy and I don't know what's real and what's a dream and what's true and what's a lie and I hate thinking Carlos lied to me or that I can't trust him." Tears bubbled up again, "My memories don't fit together properly and I keep trying to put the pieces together but some of them don't seem to fit properly." I sniffled. "It's like the last year of my life is made of smoke and mirrors and I don't know what to believe and maybe I'm just becoming paranoid or something because who looks at a cookie jar and goes, I didn't put that there? Not just in that spot because Ella cleans but I mean I didn't put that in that apartment because I swear I looked past the little girl knowing she couldn't have broken in alone at it the cookie jar and thought of my gun in it but there it is in my husbands apartment and maybe one of the RangeMen packed it up but there it is, this little thread pulling at other little threads, like my car blowing up which isn't all that uncommon for me except we were walking to Ranger's Turbo and I remembered blowing it up before but there it is and maybe it's a new Porsche turbo but the memory of it blowing up isn't as clear as the memory of the garbage truck rolling over his other Porsche after that car bomb and I look at him and I walking together and I think how perfect we look together and there is smoke in the back and I think its not right only I don't know what isn't right and there is something about Morelli saying Ranger is dangerous and Ranger sending me back to Morelli and then Morelli and Ranger fighting and Morelli and Ranger working together and the girl with the ice blue eyes and they're so sad and Julie and dreams of condoms with engagement rings on them and why don't I have one? I know we eloped but Ranger and I don't have rings and then I remember being shot and bleeding and Ranger holding me and telling me he needs me only its not real because I remember hearing sirens and knowing it was too late and oh god did I die? Is this limbo or purgatory? Only before last week it was heaven because nothing has ever been so perfect even though Tank only lets me have donuts on Sundays and ninety percent of my meals are healthy and have veggies that aren't olives and I have to get up and work out at six thirty, all those things suck but there was Ranger and laughter and the sex and I was so very happy but so many little threads that mean nothing are there unraveling reality like a dream and I think I'm going crazy because I dream about my husband so cold as he sends me back to Morelli and says he doesn't do relationships and I can't remember my wedding, just that it happened in Hawaii and we were there on vacation only I think I invited Morelli and he couldn't come and there was an FTA and Ranger came and then it was our honeymoon and I trust Ranger more than anyone but I can't tell if he's lying to me and I want to believe he never would but I'm so confused." I finally ran out of air.

"¿Se siente mejor?" Hector's mother spoke after a few moments past in silence.

"She wants to know if you feel better?" Carmen asked gently.

I took in a deep breath and let it out and then nodded, a little surprised, "Yeah, actually I do a little."

Ana laughed, "I like you, crazy angel girl."

Carmen bit back a smile and turned to me, "I only caught some of that."

I nodded, "That's ok, I don't think it made sense."

"Why don't you lie down for a little while? Rest. That was a heavy burden to carry and now maybe your mind is free." Carmen suggested.

Getting it all out there had exhausted me so I nodded, "Thank you."

"Come with me." Ana said getting up.

She led me through the house to a tiny room with a twin bed, "Hector's old room." She told me. "Emptied by my uncle when he went to prison." She explained why there was nothing but the mattress. "My mother was very angry. Said it was her son's room and to leave it alone for him. He's only been back since you though."

I nodded and thanked her as she left. I sat on the bed and sighed and then laid down, staring at the wall. Spewing everything out in word vomit had helped clear my mind and I felt oddly removed from everything. I felt my body relax as I heard Hector's voice in the kitchen. The door opened a moment later and I closed me eyes, the door closed again a moment later but I didn't open my eyes. I let the peace carry me into sleep.

When I woke up the room was very dark and the house was filled with noise. I made my way out and found the kitchen packed and people spewing out into the yard, many of them dangerous looking. If this hadn't been Hectors house I would have been terrified but I knew he wouldn't leave me where I might get hurt.

"Angel?" He appeared beside me from the crowd and I smiled at him. "Feel better?"

I nodded, "Much better."

"Come and get some food outside. My whole family is here and some of our very close friends. Mama says you need laughter tonight, reminder life is beautiful and friends plenty, she call for party, celebrate my Angel." I let him lead me outside and we got food, there was music playing and people started dancing. Ana pulled me up and began to teach me to dance and then I was passed between her brothers and cousins and all their close friends. I was surprised what a good dancer Hector was as he turned and bent and maneuvered my body to the perfect tempo of the Latin music.

When my eyes began to droop while I saw getting a drink and sat for a break in a folding chair, watching all the other people, Hector lifted me up and carried me back to his old room, "I'm near if you need me Angel." He said kissing my forehead before leaving.

In the morning, I remembered the girl, Camille, pretending to be me, she and Luis had both been here last night.

I was fed breakfast by Hector's mother, only the three of us at the house now.

"They knew I was with you, here, all day didn't they?" Hector watched me a minute and nodded, "Why did you do it?"

"Take you away or lie?"

"Both."

I guessed his mother knew the word lie because she cut in with "Lie!" and then a bunch of angry Spanish. Hector clamed her down and turned back to me rolling his eyes.

"My mother likes you."

"She thinks god sent me to you to redeem your soul and I brought you back to her."

"You are my angel." He told me seriously. "That's why I did both."

"What do you mean?"

"I lied because you needed me to. You no think clearly. Too much confused and no trust. You need place to breathe and think clear so I bring you home for Mama take care of, bring you where you feel no confuse. I lie so you still safe, no bugs, no tracker for you, just my phone, GPS. Ranger scare for you. I tell him you safe. Never leave. I keep my Angel safe. You still trust me?"

I nodded, it was the most I'd ever heard him speak in English at one time. It was broken but I understood him perfectly, "I still trust you."

"No mad?"

I shook my head and smiled at him "Not mad."

"I take you home?"

I shook my head, "Can you take me somewhere first?"

"Anywhere." He agreed with a nod.

"Can we borrow your brothers bike again?"

He chuckled, nodding "It's mine, he just dropped off for me."

I grinned and turned to his mother, "Thank you. For everything."

She pulled me into a hug, "Angel come back again."

I pulled away and nodded, "I will."

She patted my cheek and waved her finger at Hector speaking in Spanish. I couldn't help but ask as we left, "What did she say to you?"

"She say I not come home enough and you too skinny so I bring you home again. She say your husband be good to you or I should send him to god's judgment, no matter he's Ranger and helped me. She pray for us both." He told me handing over the helmet. I nodded and took the helmet, to surprised to speak. "Where go?"

I huffed out a breath and then shrugged, "Back to the warehouse where I was shot."

He nodded and we got on the bike. He waited in the doorframe while I walked around, stopping to stare down at the blood stain and thought, _Why?_

Her voice sounded in my head again, "To punish him."

"Ranger?"

"No."

"Joe."

She'd wanted to punish Joe, to hurt him so she'd taken me.

"Why did you call him? Why not the cop?"

I looked up and out the window ask thoughts, memories and dreams seemed to fall into place. She thought I'd call Joe. She took me because he loved me. She was sorry because Ranger loved me. She was sorry because she wasn't a heartless killer. She was a lost little girl seeking vengeance from Joe but for what? For loving someone? Or for not loving someone else? Why was I the price Joe was supposed to pay? Because she thought I was his. Because I wasn't Rangers. I belonged to him, heart and soul, but he'd never wanted me, Joe had.

I turned back to Hector, "Take me home now?"

He nodded and I followed him out.

He sped through back streets to get us to RangeMan so much quick than I anticipated. I hesitated in the elevator not sure which button to push. I needed to know everything though and I needed answers from more than just Ranger. I hit five and took a bracing breath.


	12. Chapter 12

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

**Stephanie… **

Ranger was waiting when the elevator door opened. "Babe?" His voice sounded, almost, tentative. I didn't think I'd ever heard him unsure of anything before.

"Why did you lie to me?" I ask him quietly, pain swirling through me. Nothing in my life hurt so much as this moment, looking in his eyes and knowing he'd lied. I'd trusted him with everything, I'd known my heart would break for loving him, he'd always warned me as much but knowing he lied to me, I could feel a little piece of my soul fracture.

Pain, fear and regret swam in his eyes before his blank face locked into place, "Babe." What ever his reasons were, I had all I needed to know in those few seconds of wordless exchange, he'd lied to me.

"Ranger." He was immovable. I shut my eyes and swallowed the pain, later I'd cry, later I'd let myself break. I turned to Tank, "Conference room 7."

"Little Girl?"

"Who ever all knew, conference room 7, fifteen minutes." I turned and got back in the elevator and went down to 4.

Ten minutes later and I was staring at a room full of people, Mary Lou, my parents, Grandma Mazur, my sister and Albert, Eddie, Carl, Big Dog, three people I didn't recognize, my doctor, Lula, Connie, Morelli, Tank, Cal, Hector, Hal, Manny, Bobby, Lester and Ranger.

"Everyone?" Tank gave me a single nod and I turned to the new faces, "Who are you?"

"Dr. Harlow." The man with the broken nose nodded, "I'm your psychiatric advisor."

I nodded and looked a the other two, "Sophie Blake, I'm a CSI and the one who manufactured your history, Steven Marcobs is my superior." She added nodding to the third stranger. I nodded again. "Almost seven months of my life has been lie."

"No." Ranger growled.

I leveled a look at him but it was to painful to meet his eyes so I looked away again.

"It's true Wifey. Only a few details were… remolded." I raised my eyebrows in question at Manny.

"The timeline was fudged." Hal supplied.

Sophie sighed, "While you were in the hospital, Manny and I moved most of your belongings into RangeMan, then I manipulated some stills from cameras and a few surveillance photos to provide a little physical evidence of your history with Manoso."

"The photo album?" She nodded, "I thought Ella did it."

"I did. I also made sure all of your identification and banking were in your married name. It took very little for your life to blend with the life you'd created, like fitting puzzle perfect pieces together."

I nodded, I knew she was trying to make me feel better about it but Ranger was a part of me, we fit perfectly though those outside might not see it at first, him so dark, mysterious, sexy and quiet and me so open, average and chatty but every part of us had blended seamlessly, he was black while I was white and our life together didn't reject but shaded, lightening him and darkening me, we were gray. I wondered if it didn't make it hurt more, knowing how perfect we would have been together, could have been, if he'd wanted me with him, if he'd never broken us with lies. I struggled to put my thoughts and emotions in check, everyone waiting silently while I did. Finally I turned back to her, "Did you forge the marriage license and certificate?"

She shook her head. "Those are real."

I shook my head and glared at her and the others around the room, "I know Ranger and I were never married." More lies. I was barely holding myself together, I knew the truth, I remembered everything, and they were still lying.

"We are." Ranger insisted.

I turned to look at him. "You signed the papers in the hospital." Manny told me.

"I, wait, what?"

"Cupcake?" Morelli caught my attention.

"You let them do this?" I spat. Joe was supposed to have loved me back, he had wanted me, I'd been shot because of it. He wouldn't have done this, given me to Ranger like Ranger had sent me to him. Then again, I'd been sure that Ranger would never lie, not to me.

"You think I wanted this?" He got up and shouted. "You woke up from a god damn coma and started making googly eyes at that thug and telling people you were married!"

"How about saying hey Steph you hit your head because that never happened!" I shouted back, my temper over riding the pain. Anger was so much easier to feel than despair and betrayal.

"Did you not fuck him in the honeymoon suite in Hawaii either!"

"We were undercover!"

"Gee Cupcake, I guess the screwing him is ok then!"

"We weren't together and it wouldn't have happened if you'd come with me!"

"I tried! I even showed up there but you were already shacked up with him!"

"Working!"

"That's some work ethic you have Cupcake did you _work_ together when we were together?"

"Don't you even go there Joseph Morelli, I never cheated on you! We weren't together when I slept with Ranger and I never married you off to someone else! Jesus what am I? A toy passed between you two? He screws me and send me back to you, you get tired of the hassle and heartburn so you marry me off to him!"

"You married you off to him! I asked you to marry me! Twice!"

"You told your grandma Bella you'd marry me to get rid of her so you could get laid!"

"Not the second time!"

"No that was Manoso is a thug so you should quit your job and be my wife!"

"Excuse me." Someone cut in.

"What?" Morelli and I both spat at my sister.

She backed up, hands in the air, "Never mind."

"Jesus Cupcake."

"I give you heartburn, I know." I rolled my eyes at him. I'd almost missed this, fighting with him, bickering, and we'd always made up with the same level of passion. It couldn't match the passion Ranger ignited but it was good and it was real, was the passion with Ranger real? Did he fake that like he did loving me, was it as big of a lie as our marriage?

"I wish you only gave me heart burn!" His voice rose again, "I have gray hair because of you and I officially had about three heart attacks!"

"So you married me to him!" I jerked my finger at Ranger, anger warring with the pain that had returned.

"You married you to him!"

"I was just out of a freaking coma! I was obviously confused!"

"It's been seven months!"

"Its not like any one said hey Steph you and Ranger, never eloped in Hawaii!"

"Gee Cupcake I guess that makes it all better. You were screwing him silly because it was your wifely duty!"

"Go to hell Morelli! And I'm not his wife!"

"Yeah Cupcake you are!"

"Um, Mrs. Manoso?"

"Don't call me that!" I growled at the woman.

She nodded slowly, "Stephanie then." I gave her a curt nod and she continued "Maybe this conversation would be better in private with Detective Morelli and Mr. Manoso. They rest of us can come back later."

"I have nothing to say to either of them."

"Cupcake."

"Jesus Joe, do you really want to sit here and shout about this?"

"Why not? Best entertainment I've had in months!" Grandma Mazur piped up.

I rolled my eyes, "I'm done being a line in some ones entertainment budget," I growled." Then I sent an evil look to Ranger, anger had taken over completely, "Have a good laugh at me over this?"

"Babe." He growled.

"Let me guess? Go home with Morelli?" I spat.

"Stephanie!" My mother's shocked voice reminded me of just how much dirty laundry and very personal information I did not want her and my father to know about that I was airing, very publically.

I took a few deep breaths to relax. "Fine. So the married part is legit, though I think we have a clear argument for diminished capacity in court on that one for quickie annulment so let's move on to any other, what was it you called it? Details that were remolded?"

"Nothing." Sophie answered, "It was very easy to blend your life with the one in your head, all you really added was an elopement."

"So I really did blow up a Turbo?" I tried to think. "When? In my head we were married then or at least a couple."

"Supporting memory." The psych doctor spoke up. "You took a few memories and adjusted them to fit your delusion adding one or two new memories to blend with old ones that would fit with your history with him to make the delusion feel more real in your mind."

I nodded my head slowly as I examined the dream memories more closely, "Yeah, I guess that makes sense."

"The only lie in your life was the elopement and you and Ranger are married." Mary Lou spoke up, "So nothing in your life has been a lie since then."

I rolled my eyes, "Except my entire life here and my marriage while legit is still a giant lie." I could feel tears burning my eyes as the pain tried to overwhelm the anger, "Jesus it must have been such a god damn joke to all of you." I turned to men I'd thought of as friends, as family, "Have fun playing babysit the crazy person did you?"

"Bomber…"

"Don't call me that." I hissed. "Don't call me anything any more, if you have to address me my name is Stephanie."

Cal nodded and despite the hurt I saw in all of them he continued, "You were never a joke Stephanie."

"Go to hell." I told him shaking my head. I'd shared things with him I didn't feel comfortable talking to Mary Lou or Lulu about.

"Stephanie." My father's voice surprised me and I turned all my attention on him. "No one wanted to hurt you."

"Then you failed!" I spat.

"Let the doctor explain." My mother started.

"You!" I screeched, "Every time I saw you it was babies this and babies that! My god I could have gotten pregnant! I can't take care of myself you think I should raise a child alone! An unwed mother who isn't qualified for a decent job!"

"You are married." Cloughn reminded me.

"He married Rachel too!" I spat.

"Mrs…. Miss…. Stephanie." The doctor got my attention.

"What?"

"Are you, pregnant?"

"No!" I huffed, "But I might have been."

"More's the shame." My mother sighed.

"Mother!"

"Let's not stress over what isn't an issue."

"Bite me." I told the doctor. He rubbed his chest and Morelli handed him Maalox while I glared at them both.

"Steph?" I turned to Mary Lou, "You wanted to meet with all of us?"

"I wanted to see the faces of all the people who lied to me." I told her. "I wanted to know who my friends were, I didn't expect my own family to be in on it!"

"Let the doctor explain Steph, then you can be angry with us." My sister, calm and serene broke through my anger.

I nodded, "Fine."

"Do you want someone to stay with you?"

"No one in this room." I told her angrily.

She nodded and ushered everyone out but the psych doctor and Sophie.

"Have we met before?" I asked him as we sat across from each other.

"Just in the hospital, right after your delusions were discovered."

"Must be it." I said with a shrug, though my spidey sense was tingling. I motioned for him to get on with it. He sighed and explained to me his findings on my condition and the meeting he'd had with my closest friends and relatives and what he'd told them about the options for dealing with my delusion were. I guessed I could sort of see why they chose to marry me to Ranger. Didn't make it hurt less.

"Why didn't you just fake the marriage certificate?"

"Mr. Manoso insisted it had to be real." Sophie spoke up. "I could have manufactured it but he refused. I'm not sure his real reasons behind that."

I nodded, not sure I was ready to ponder that myself, "Thanks."

"He loves you." I glared at her, "That much was clear from the moment I met him." She continued. "I could see it in him when he was with you and in the photo's I had to work with." I gave her a curt nod not really wanting to hear this, "I meant when I said your lives blended perfectly. At first I was sad how easy it was to change your whole life and then I saw him, carrying you out of the hospital and I knew, your lives blended because they were meant to, my job had been easy because so much of you was already in his life and in his home."

"Is that all?" I had finally gone numb from so many emotions.

She shook her head sadly, "That man terrifies me but the way he looks at you, its like the first sunrise and as guarded as he is, in his office, in a locked drawer I found three photos, the only ones in his apartment before I added the few there now."

"And?" Ok I was curious, numb from emotions but still curious and we were talking about Batman besides I had always been nosy.

"Two were of you, one of the two of you together and one of you with his daughter."

"What about the third?" I couldn't stop myself from asking.

"His grandmother."

I nodded, "Is there anything else I should know?" I wasn't sure if I was asking her or the doctor. They both shook their heads and I got up and left. No one stopped me as I went down to the garage and stared at the cars.

Movement beside me had me turning to see Hector holding out the keys to his motorcycle, "No track." He told me.

I took the keys and he handed me a watch. "Red, panic, yellow track, blue time. Only time work now. Push to turn on track. Push to panic my system."

I put the watch on and he nodded. "Never hurt you Angel, only lie to protect you."

I nodded, "I know."

"Do you?" Cal asked from behind me.

I turned to him, tears stinging my eyes, "I trusted all of you."

"We only ever protect you. Loved you."

I nodded, "Maybe but it doesn't make it hurt less." I blinked back tears that broken through the numb haze that had settled over me, one fell as I swallowed, "I'll forgive you, eventually but I'm not sure understanding it can ever fix things, make them how they were. I never trusted anyone like I trusted Ranger and" my voice broke on the emotion and I took in a pain filled breath, "I'm not sure I can trust," I frowned, pain ripping at my heart, "_any of you_ not the same as before."

"He only ever loved you." He insisted.

I shook my head, "I don't know that I believe that." I swiped at tears and sniffled, "I'm sorry."

Hector handed me a helmet and I thanked him with a watery smile before climbing on his bike.


	13. Chapter 13

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

**Stephanie… **

I rode around for a little while and found myself out at Point Pleasant. I got off the bike to give my ass a break and walk for a bit. My heart hurt and I knew I needed to talk to the two men in my life. Without the Morelli, Steph shouting match. I wasn't sure how much more my heart could handle though.

I watched the water lapping against the sand for a while, I felt numb again, maybe I should face it all while that lasted, or maybe I'd always feel numb now, Ranger had broken my heart and I supposed I'd always accepted he would but he'd carved out a piece of my soul as he did it and maybe I'd never feel anything but numb and broken. Or maybe the pain lapping at the edges, like the ocean on the sand would rise in tidal wave and send me crashing into its bleak despair. Regardless, I needed answers. I got back on the bike and made it to Morelli's as the sun set. I'd been at the beach longer than I'd thought, watching the waves, contemplating the reasons, refusing to think about Ranger and how perfectly happy I'd been married to him.

"Cupcake." Morelli's voice was questioning and tentative as he opened the door, like I might be a bomb ready to explode.

"I don't want to fight."

"Good to know." He motioned me inside.

"Why Joe?"

"To protect you."

"Why did he do it?"

"To protect you."

"Joe."

"He loves you Cupcake." He sighed. "You're fucking perfect together!" He shouted. "You know what it's like to see you with him! How fucking happy you two are in your freaking bubble! I loved you and you woke up and clung to him like he was a god damn life vest and turns out Doc says he is! Why couldn't I have been the freaking life boat! I wanted to marry you but you didn't want that and it's because you loved him!"

"Jesus Joe, you really think I didn't love you! You think I strung you along or something! Doing what? Fighting with you until he pulled his head out of ass and decided he did want a relationship?"

"I know you loved me Cupcake." He sighed no longer shouting, "Just not as much."

His words echoed the girls and I couldn't lie to him, "Different Joe. I loved you different."

He swallowed, "Why weren't you with him? Why come back to me."

"He wasn't an option." I bit my tongue, "I didn't meant that."

"Yes you did." He snorted, "Maybe not like that exactly but its true."

I nodded, "Maybe."

"Cupcake?" he growled.

"Fine! I was in love with him! I didn't exactly admit it to myself until I was shot though so its not like I was purposely hiding it from you!"

"I know."

"What?"

"I know you pretty well Cupcake."

"Yeah, well." I wasn't sure what to say to that.

"I hate this."

"What?"

"That we're at this place and I'm going to send you back to him and you two will work it out and be sickenly happy together again."

"Joe."

"Go home Cupcake. Let your husband grovel and make it up to you."

"He's not my husband Joe."

"Yeah, he is Cupcake and he's more in love with you that you can know."

"Joe." I sighed.

"He didn't leave."

"What?"

"Not once. You were in the coma a week and he refused to leave the hospital, barely left your side, scared the crap out of nurses and one intern wet himself when he tried to get Manoso to leave after visiting hours ended and Manoso told him the kid could try to make him. I think the first time he left was after we had a meeting about your delusion and then he was back in thirty minutes having showered."

"Not once?" I whispered quietly.

Morelli shook his head. "I came by the waiting room once while you were still in surgery, he was there with the rest of his thugs. A few of them looked stoic as ever, then I heard them praying, some seemed to be saying silent prayers but mostly they were praying aloud together and I saw that giant guy, Tank, with his hand on Manoso's back and I swear to god Steph, I saw actual tears on Manoso's face as he prayed. I knew then he loved you. No game. No fling. No short-term attachment. He was in love with you. Maybe more even than me." He sighed, "That's why I agreed to it. That one moment of clarity. He'd protect you with his life and he'd give you all the love and care you could possibly need, even if the delusion didn't fade because you were everything for him. He was already yours forever."

I wiped at the tears and then I hugged him. He walked me to the door and kissed me temple, "I love you Cupcake."

"I love you too Joe."

"Just not as much."

I shook my head, "Just not the same."

He nodded and I strode back to the bike and took it home.

I finger waved the camera as I hit the button on the elevator then I went up to seven.

Ranger was sitting on the couch, a bottle of whiskey on the table and mostly empty glass in hand, Tank and Lester both in similar positions.

I sighed, "You should be more aware of your surroundings." I reminded them walking over.

Lester jumped up "Beauti… Stephanie." He hesitated.

"I'm fine. Go sleep it off." I told him. He nodded and looked to Ranger, "He lives here, he can sleep it off without your help." I snapped.

Tank chuckled and I glared at him. "Not going to try to castrate him in his sleep then?"

"Not tonight." I told him with an eye roll and head shake.

He nodded and got up, grabbing the bottle and shoving Lester towards the door, he stopped when he reached me, "I know you're mad now Little Girl but we do all love you."

"I know." I sighed, "I'm not mad, I understand why you did it, but I trusted you, all of you and I'm hurting now."

He nodded and he and Lester left.

"Steph."

"I hate it when you do that." I told him.

"What?"

"Call me Steph."

"Stephanie."

"That's worse." He let out a breath of air. "You always call me Babe. You only call me by my name when we're fighting."

"We never fight."

I sent him a weak smile and then dropped into a chair, "Why did you do it?"

"The doctor said it was the safest option."

"You didn't have to actually marry me though did you?" It was half question and half demand.

"Yes, I did."

"Why?"

"I didn't want to lie to my family, to the world, to you."

"But you did lie." The four most painful words I had ever spoken.

"I only told you the lies you needed me to, the ones you asked me to."

"What ones were those?"

"That we eloped in Hawaii and hid it from our family and most other people."

"What else."

"Nothing. I've never lied to you. Kept things from you yes but never lied. Not until it was what you asked of me. I only ever gave you what you needed or asked."

"So you married me instead of lying to me that we were married?"

"Yes."

"Now you don't have to do either."

"Stephanie."

"Ranger."

He sighed, "Please don't do this Babe."

"What?"

His eyes lifted and met mine, his expression, more open than it had ever been, was full of turmoil, "Leave me."

I stared into his black eyes, "I called you because I knew was going to die and I needed you hear your voice, to hear you call me Babe so that I could be strong enough to not be afraid." I told him, tears burning their way down my cheeks.

"Babe."

"I was so in love with you."

His body became ridged, "Was?" He choked out.

I swallowed back tears of anguish and remorse, I hated myself for hurting him but I wouldn't lie to him, even if in this moment it was what he might want, even need, I owed him the truth, as much as it killed us both, "I don't know if I can trust you anymore." I shook my head, our eyes still held, "I don't know if I can stay" tears spilled down both our cheeks, "And not hate you" the words were a whispered knife carving into both our souls, "for not trusting me enough to come back to you with the truth, for breaking me."

He leaned his head back in the chair, his eyes closing. After a long while, I got up and covered him with a blanket, I went to our room but it smelled of Bulgari and their were ghosts of us making love in the bed or snuggled tightly together in slumber. I got some clothes and left. I knew he was awake and that he knew I was going but he never spoke, never lifted his head or opened his eyes.

I took the elevator to four and knocked on Bobby's door.

"Bomber?"

I bit my lip and sniffled "Can I use your couch?"

He nodded and led me inside. "Take the bed." He told me leading me into his room. The tears wouldn't stop coming so I just nodded, they were quickly changing from silently rolling down my cheeks into wracking sobs. I curled on the bed and let the pain consume me, barely feeling the little prick of a needle before blackness swept through my body, leaving relaxation and false calm.


	14. Chapter 14

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

**Last Chapter was where I almost gave them an HEA with forgiveness and kisses and Naked Ranger time but as I was editing it, I just couldn't do it. My characters weren't there so the story is going to stretch out a little longer, I want them to have an HEA but at this point they've taken over and anything is possible once the dust settles and the blood is washed away.**

**Sophie…**

I moved through the halls of the asylum quickly and stopped at her door, pushing it open I slipped in silently.

"Good Morning Alice."

She didn't respond, didn't move at all, I walked over to her and sat down across from her. "It's Sophie, David's coming soon to check on you. I'm helping a new person disappear now, just like daddy used to, you remember how we'd help him come up with different identities?" I tucked her hair behind her head. "You remember his patient, Stephanie Plum? She's better now. No more delusion, she's hurt everyone lied to her, it's like you could see the way her heart was breaking, jagged shards of trust damaging her soul. I wonder if in her case, facing reality wouldn't have been better. David just can bear the idea of how we hurt you, making you see the truth, he thought we could give her love like it would make up for her being hurt." Alice just stared, unseeing out the window. I sighed, "I miss you Ali." I kissed her temple and left the room. David was standing outside. "David?" It was part greeting and part question.

"Lana?"

I shrugged, "Still out there somewhere."

"We have to find her. If Manoso finds her."

"Stephanie wont let him hurt her David."

He sighed, "How is she?" He nodded to their sister's room.

I shrug, "The same as always."

"Why would Lana think Morelli was her father?"

"He is."

"What?" David growled.

"Just not that Morelli." I told him with a sad sigh.

"Which Morelli?"

"Does it matter?"

"If I kill the wrong one it will!"

"David."

"Look at her!" He shouted.

"He didn't do this to her David. Mother did. Having Lana while chained in the basement did."

"Insanity is hereditary."

I snorted, "Guess we better neither of us have kids."

"This isn't a joke Sophie!"

"I know that David! I was the one in the warehouse after that girl got shot, I was the one who cleaned it all up, the one who saw what those people had to suffer while she was fighting to live and I was the one who called you in. You're the one that stopped giving her the fucking drug to confuse her dreams with reality."

"You're the one that insisted she and Manoso were in love and the delusion was all but reality!"

"All but, the but being the operative word David."

"It doesn't matter now. They'll work it out or be to distracted by their issues to focus on finding Lana."

"Morelli's nothing but focused on finding Lana." I reminded him.

"Who is the man helping her?"

"I don't know."

"She tells you everything!"

"Not everything." I hissed back. "I have no idea what caused this!"

"Lana freaked out because she's unbalanced Sophie, the trigger to this episode doesn't matter."

"She was so happy for a while." I reminded him staring at our sister's door.

"I know." He agreed sadly. "Are you sure of the father even? Could it have been part of the delusion?"

"I'm sure." I nodded.

"Sophie?"

"Alice only ever slept with one man David."

"I wish I knew how to help her. What all happened to her."

I hugged him, "You are helping her David."

"I should check on her." He nodded to the door.

"Stephanie and Manoso will be ok wont they?" I asked him hesitantly.

"Lana is fixated on Morelli. Until we can find her, he's not safe." I nodded in agreement and for him to continue. "Stephanie and Manoso aren't part of that fixation."

"She shot Stephanie because she thought he was in love with her."

"She wants to punish him for Alice being like this."

"She wants to punish any Morelli but Joe has nothing to do with Alice and Lana's father never knew she existed. He was only with Alice the one time."

"Lana's focusing blame the only place she feels she can, on the man who wasn't there to protect her or her mother."

"This all started because mother finally died didn't it?"

David nodded, "Lana was finally free."

"I thought Alice might get better with her gone." I admitted biting back tears.

"I know." He hugged me again. "Do what you can to find Lana, try to convince her she has the wrong target. Leave Alice to me. I'll take care of her. At least this thing with Stephanie and Manoso is finished, we don't have to worry about them anymore, not if you're sure Lana is safe from Manoso and his men."

I nodded and pulled away. "I'm sure. Thanks for helping with Stephanie."

He nodded, "You're sure you cleaned up after Lana at the scene?"

"Yes and Stephanie wont point her finger."

He nodded, "Even if she did we can make Lana disappear, we just need to find her first and get her medicated."

"Of course." I agreed with him. He kissed my temple and I watched him disappear into our sisters room before I turned and hurried out of the asylum. I wouldn't let Lana be medicated again though, I wouldn't let her be brought back into an asylum to waste away like Alice. Lana had lived all her life locked away, with mother dead, I'd do right by my sister, I'd see her daughter free.

Darrow and Lana pulled up in an SUV as soon as I hit the sidewalk. "How's mother?" Lana asked quietly.

"The same." I answered sadly.

"Uncle David's angry with me."

"You hurt that woman very badly."

"Grandmother said Morelli was the devil and he got inside Mother, she said the devil made Mother broken."

"Joe Morelli isn't your father Lana."

She nodded, her voice became whisper soft and filled with childlike fear, "I don't want to go back to the ward."

"You don't have to baby."

"I'm sorry I hurt her."

"I know."

"I wanted to punish him." Just the idea turned her voice from innocent child to angry woman. Mostly Lana was stuck at a mental and emotional range of about five, she was soft spoke, gentle and afraid but when it came to this she was a vengeful woman twice her age, her words clear, her eyes hard, showing the hardness life had taught her.

"I know."

"He should pay for my mother." I could see the violence in her ice cold eyes and if it were any but my sweet niece looking at me the expression would scare me.

"Your father isn't why she's broken Lana."

I saw her expression soft, the ice in her eyes melting as her voice turned soft and childlike once more, "Why is mother broken?"

"Grandmother hurt her."

"Grandmothers gone now though."

I knew, I'd covered up the murder for Lana, something else David didn't need to know because he'd lock her up for good then and I couldn't allow that. "Darrow is going to take you somewhere safe now ok baby."

"Will you come?"

"Soon. First I have to make sure Uncle David is taking good care of your mother and Stephanie is ok."

"Aunt Sophie?"

"Yes baby?"

"Why wouldn't my father love my mother?"

"Grandmother only said those things to hurt your mother through you Lana. Your father would have loved her. Any one would have loved her."

"Did my mother not love him?"

"No baby, she didn't."

"Grandmother said it was evil what they did."

"Grandmother was a bitch."

She nodded and curled up in the seat. I turned to Darrow, "Keep her safe."

He nodded, "Sophie?"

I sent him a grim smile, swallowing, I'd do anything for Alice and Lana, "I just have a couple things to take care of. Make sure no one comes looking for her." He nodded, "Don't drug her." It was half plea, we both knew he might have to, it was the one thing David and I disagreed on about Lana but the one thing I couldn't protect her from was herself. I didn't think she needed to be medicated and locked away, she'd lived like that most of her life, now she needed to be free, to learn to fly and hopefully once this was past us and the cage was far behind us, she'd be free of the depression and the violent rages that would occasionally consume her.

I watched them drive off and then took one last look at the building before hurrying to my own car. I drove to Trenton and stopped outside Morelli's, I watched him through the window. I'd do this for Lana. I'd set her free of him and give them all Toshiro to blame. I parked and got out and walked up to the house and knocked.

"Hello?"

"Mooch Morelli?" I asked.

"Do I know you?"

"You knew my sister."

"Alice?"

"You remember her." We looked enough a like it didn't surprise me that he'd made a connection. He'd never been the player Joe Morelli had been; he'd remember the notches he made on his bedpost. I doubt there were very many more now than before Lana was born. Lucky Lana looked nothing like my sister and I or it could have been trouble but Lana was the image of my father with dark brown hair and ice blue eyes, eyes so similar to our distant cousin, her victim, Stephanie Plum, our great grandmothers sisters child.

"I lost my… um, yeah, I remember her." I almost laughed. He and Alice had fumbled through their first time together, they'd created my beautiful wounded niece in what I could only imagine was a one pump hump. So many lives scarred over a careless drunken moment.

I tried to refocus my thoughts, I'd covered up death before but never taken a life, I braced myself, I'd do anything for Alice, my sweet baby sister, irreparably broken and for her daughter, for Lana, so the fractures in her soul didn't consume her and leave her locked in an asylum forever "She had a daughter. Your daughter." I told him.

"What. Huh? No. That was like thirteen years ago."

"Twelve years, seven months, nine days" I told him. "Her name is Lana and she's going to be free now." He frowned at me in confusion until he saw the gun. I aimed it for his forehead and pulled the trigger.

I dropped the note on his body and walked out fighting back the nasea. I'd meet Darrow and Lana in Thailand in a couple days. First I had to make sure everything here was left clean and I'd have to give them Toshi, he deserved to die less than Mooch, but Stephanie had seen him, would recognize him and since she'd never let them blame Lana, all those angry, scarred, dangerous killers would blame Toshiro. If they found him, they'd be able to connect the dots, it would lead them to Lana, to David and I and to Alice. I'd protect my family at any cost. Toshiro had helped Lana escape the asylum, he'd followed her everywhere, his mind forever stalled at four. He was a beast of a man, two hundred and seventy six pounds following my scrap of a niece everywhere like a lost puppy. They were best friends. He did everything she said and when she was in a rage he was the only one besides me that could go near her and when she was depressed she'd let him hold her and rock her. David never liked the connection they had, I was grateful for it but now I'd have to kill him, to protect her. Why couldn't he have stayed at the asylum?

When I found him, waiting where I'd told him to wait, he smiled at me, "Lana ok? No more sad?"

I smiled at him sadly, "Lana's safe now. Lana's almost free."

"Lana happy?"

I nodded, "Lana will be happy."

"If you help her."

He nodded, "Toshi always help Lana."

I blinked at the tears and handed him the gun. "You just have to…" Oh god, give me strength, if they find him, they'll trace him to the asylum, to David, to Alice, to Lana. I lifted my hand to my head as though it were a gun, "Make the toy go boom."

"Pretty red make Lana sad for pretty girl. Toy goes boom."

I nodded, "Toy goes…" He pulled the trigger.

My throat caught on a sob as bile rose in my mouth.

I pulled the envelope out with my gloved hand and dropped it on the ground.

Now I'd just wait and when the dust settled, when the blood washed away, I'd go find Lana and Darrow in Thailand, where we could all forget the past and start over, a family, maybe I could even love Darrow like he loved me. Now that I was free to love. Now that I'd done everything I could for Alice, now that Lana was free. Anything was possible now that my debt for not protecting my baby sister was paid.


	15. Chapter 15

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

**Ranger…**

I heard her move around in the bedroom and then come back out. I listened to her footsteps as she crossed the room and then hesitated at the door. I kept my eyes closed as I heard the soft swish and click of the door as it closed behind her.

I clenched my fists around the cushion of the chair and tried to measure my breathing by counting. She'd wanted me to stop her. I knew she wanted me to stop her, to promise her I'd fix it, I'd make everything ok because I loved her and I knew we'd always end up together. She wanted me to stop her and tell her we'd have been here without this, that I hadn't just married her because it was what she had needed but what we both wanted, what I had needed. I couldn't do it though, I wouldn't lie to her again so I let her go. I let her leave me because I wouldn't have kept her for myself if it hadn't been what she needed. I would never have tied her to me if she hadn't been in danger without it. She was right in that I had never lied to her before, my love for her would never have come with a ring. That day in the hospital I had begged the devil for her to live and I'd sworn to kill whoever hurt her, send them to the hell they belonged in all the while I prayed to god to save her and promised him I would send her back to Morelli and this time, I'd let her go.

I'd sworn to protect her but she lay fighting for her life because I'd failed in that, it didn't matter the enemy was Morelli's, it could have been hers or another of mine it didn't make a difference where the danger came from in the end because I'd sworn to protect her and I'd failed. I knew nothing but darkness, was nothing but death and destruction, I was a killer, a hunter and I didn't deserve the love of an angel but she'd loved me still and I'd failed her. I married her because I loved her, because I couldn't breathe without her, I'd married her because I was selfish, because I was a mercenary, because I'd found an excuse to take what I wanted and found weakness in my own armor, she'd needed me so I took what I wanted and told myself it was to protect her. I'd lied to us both that way, lied to myself that it was to protect just the same as I lied to her that it was real, because I wanted her, because I loved her. I had know that if I told her the lie she'd never forgive me, she'd finally see me for the mercenary bastard I was. I knew she would hate me for it because I would have hated her for it. I'd never have forgiven the lie from her mouth no matter if it would have been the death of me for her not to tell it. A lie passing her sweet lips would be worse than death, I'd have faced any torture instead because a lie from her was the only thing that could damage what was left of my tarnished soul. A lie that bound us tighter, no matter if its what we both wanted, would eventually unravel and with it would go the trust I had in her. I could never forgive her for breaking the sanctity and purity of my love for her and still I had done it, I'd lied to her and wished and hoped that it was forever, all the while I was hating myself for it.

Now she was gone.

I felt the heavy brandy glass in my hand shatter, the glass shards cutting my skin. Finally my eyes opened and I let the demon within free. He clawed forth, only ever let lose during missions and even then under perfect control and harmony with myself. Now there was no control, only pain as I flipped the coffee table and pummeled my walls until my knuckles were bleeding, my body was sore and bruised. Finally the demon receeded and I three of my men, bleeding and battered on my floor, Tank and Ram were holding me back.

I sank to my knees as my surroundings came back to me.

"She let me give her a sedative." I heard Bobby's voice as he walked in with Ella.

"I'll check on her tonight, I'm not sure either of them should be alone tonight."

"I'll stay here." He told her as his boots stepped into my line of vision. "I'm going to give you a mild sedative RangeMan." He was injecting me even as he said it.

"Let's get him to the bedroom." Tank said hefting my weight up. I let Bobby's drug do its work, the dark warmth and fake calm washing through me.

I heard my voice as I spoke my last thought before I slipped under, "I lost her."

Waking up I felt my stomach revolt, Whiskey, Sedatives and no food are a terrible combination. I forced myself up and into the shower. I forced myself to eat. I drew on every once of strength and control and locked down my expressionless mask.

I went down to the gym to beat the shit out of the workout bags and then ran until sweat was pouring down my face and my lungs were burning, not an easy feat when you run and work out every damn day.

"RangeMan." Tank finally came down to check on me.

"Report."

"Ranger."

"Report."

I growled, "Zero has a broken rib, Woody a broken nose and dislocated shoulder, Hal got a broken wrist and a piece of glass from the table in his side, nine stitches. Ram has a mild concussion and you got me pretty good in the gut and kidney as well as left a shiner. We're all fine. Bobby's patched everyone up." I felt sick. I'd been so blind, so lost in my rage at myself that I had hurt my men. I'd only ever done so before once, after a FUBAR mission, I'd been trapped in a nightmare and trying to fight my way free. Tank had a nasty scar on his ribs from where I'd sliced him with the blade I always slept with. He was lucky I hadn't shot him. "She's still sleeping at Bobby's."

"Make sure seven is cleaned, I don't want her to worry."

"Ella is already on it. Her husband and Manny are helping."

I nodded to him and went to the locker room and stood under the hot spray until the water ran cold, then I washed up and got out. Tank followed me up to five and into my office.

I picked up my phone, "Colonel Davis?"

"Ranger." I heard his voice on the other end.

"You have something for me?"

"Nothing necessary no. Did you get a call?"

"No. What do you have?"

He hesitated on the other line, "I heard you were married."

"Complicated."

"An assignment?"

"Protection job." Not entirely a lie, he didn't need to know how desperately I loved her because in the end it didn't matter, I would never have married her if it weren't to protect her.

"How's business?"

I growled into the phone, "Do you have something for me or not?"

"I can always use a man of your skill."

"Where?"

"We can discuss it on base in Fort Benning. I have new recruits to look over."

"This afternoon."

"I'll await your arrival soldier."

I hung up the phone and turned to a frowning Tank, "Make sure she's provided for. She now owns half of my share in RangeMan."

"Ranger."

I told him my heart stuck in my throat. "Take out any threat and at this point I don't care if that is a damn child, she's not an innocent and if she comes after Steph again I want her heart shipped to me in whatever hole I'm lost in."

He nodded. "I'll take care of her Ranger."

Our eyes met and I knew no words needed to be said. Tank was my brother, he'd give his life to protect her not just because he would for me as I would for him but because he loved her.

I went upstairs, everything was almost put to rights, paintings covered the holes I'd made in the dry wall and the glass was missing from a side table but if you didn't examine it to close you wouldn't see how much destruction I'd caused.

I went directly to my den and unlocked my bottom drawer. I pulled out my dog tags pulling them over my head. Next was my passport, cash and the little file of photos I kept, then three envelopes. Two I slid into the folder and the third I shredded before pulling out a fresh sheet and writing a new one. It was something I did before every mission, leave a letter for Julie, my Abuella Rosa and since I'd met her, for Stephanie. If I never returned, they might not know what happened to me but they'd still get a goodbye. They'd still have the words so hard for me to give them for how much I loved them and how sorry I was not to be the man they each deserved, the grandson, the father, the lover and husband.

When I was done I took my ready bag from the top shelf of my closet, slipped the passport in the pocket with the cash and took the folder down to four.

His eyes were sad as he opened the door, Tank had no doubt told him and he didn't say anything as I handed him the folder. He'd keep it and if necessary, give it to the three women I loved most.

I nodded to him as I always did. Silently telling him I loved him, he was my brother in arms, my cousin and my friend.

"Ranger." He stilled me and I looked back to him. "Come back soon." I shook my head, silently telling him I wouldn't be back, not this time. I knew he understood by the sadness in his eyes. "Be safe soldier." I heard him speak softly as the elevator doors closed.


	16. Chapter 16

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

**Stephanie…**

I stayed in Bobby's bed all the next day. My heart aching for Ranger. The truth was that I understood his actions. I wanted to run upstairs, fling myself into his arms and tell him I loved him, that I had always and would always love him. I wanted to promise to never leave him, to stand by his side everyday and lay beside him every night, to be here waiting while he was in the wind, to stare down the darkness that lived in him, driving him to hunt and kill and love him more because that darkness was driven by goodness and a will to make the world better, safer and more beautiful for everyone who never had to see the darkness or know the true fear of the evil he stared down face to face. I wanted to hold him to me, to kiss every part of him and tell him he was beautiful, he was Batman, my Dark Night and the only thing in my life I could trust was that I loved him. Would love him forever. I wanted to run to him, to grab onto him so tightly nothing could ever rip me from his arms again.

I didn't doubt that he loved me. It had killed Joe to tell me how much Ranger loved me. I didn't doubt he made the choice he made out of fear for me, the doctor had been very clear with me about the options given and the possible repercussions they had been faced with and I also knew, I'd have done nothing different. I'd have married Ranger on the spot and killed anyone who threatened his well being. I knew I would have lied to him, just like I knew he would never have forgiven me for it. I knew that was why he struggled with it. Not because he hadn't wanted to protect me, not because marrying my went against what he wanted in his life but because he knew, if it were him and I had lied to him, he would never forgive me for it, just like I wasn't sure I could. I wanted to run to him, I wanted to tell him I loved him, I would always love him but we both knew my broken heart wasn't ready to let him back in.

When I was finally able to drag myself out of Bobby's bed and into the shower, I felt like I had aged decades over night. I felt tired and weary and everything ached. I cried more in the shower, standing under the spray until the water ran cold. Shivering I stepped out and dressed. Today I'd move out of RangeMan.

I went upstairs, holding my breath as I walked into seven, the apartment was empty, I wished Ranger had been there but I knew in my weakness I'd cling to him and beg him to tell me this was the delusion, that he would never lie to me, even if he thought it was the right thing for me because he had faith I could handle anything this world threw at me. Mostly I wanted him to promise me his love had never been a lie and to tell me we would be here without the lie, together, married, happy.

We both knew it would be another lie though.

Ranger would have sent me back to Morelli again, for my own good, because he would just hurt me, because he never wanted a wife. Maybe Ranger and I weren't meant for forever, no matter that we loved each other so much.

I packed up my bags, crying over my RangeMan embroidered panties. I left them, I left all my RangeMan clothes but I couldn't help taking one his black tee shirts. The one tossed over the side of the hamper, the one that smelled like it had just come off his warm caramel skin.

I took the elevator down to the garage and wiping at the tears I blew a kiss at the monitor. I loved my Merry Men. I hoped they understood my goodbye. I'd miss them. I forgave them. I just needed time.

I walked out of the garage and hailed a taxi. The question now was, where to?

I directed him to my old apartment, I spoke with Dillon briefly and he was happy to let me have my old place back. No one had wanted to rent the death apartment anyways.

I dropped my duffle on the floor and set Rex on the counter, "Just me and you again Rex." I told him. Then I burst into a fresh wave of tears. I was going to die old and alone and loving Ranger Carlos Manoso. I suppose part of me figured that had always been true but I'd been able to lie to myself before about how happy we would be if we could be together and about how much love we could share.

The days ticked by but it never got easier. Normally I'd be binging on any and all junk food to feed my sorrows but even donuts made me cry, missing the life I had tasted but couldn't keep. I'd eat when hunger drove me to nourishment mostly, I slept on the little twin mattress Dillon had gotten for me, that was all that was in my apartment, my duffle of belongings and I mattress in the living room. I didn't care.

It was the third day I'd been in my apartment when I was served. I stood in the doorway and stared numb at the large envelope in my hand long after the guy had left. When I was finally able to close the door, I opened the papers with trembling fingers, I knew what they were of course but it didn't make it easier, the words Petition for Divorce across the top were a knife to my heart. I couldn't breath. Ranger was divorcing me.

I curled back up on my mattress and cried myself to sleep.

I wasn't sure if it was one day or one week later that I finally forced myself to get up. I even forced my disgusting body into the shower. I felt a little better being clean. I pulled on my clothes and called a taxi to RangeMan.

I wondered if I should have called first. He was divorcing me so at any rate I didn't feel comfortable just walking in like I was used to. Instead I went in the main doors and stopped at the desk.

"I'm here for Mr. Manoso."

He looked at me oddly, "I'm sorry Mrs. Manoso but your husband isn't in."

"Oh." I nodded numbly and swallowed, "Is Tank in?"

The boy nodded, "Yes, Mrs. Manoso, he's in his office."

"Will you ask him if I can have a minute of his time please?"

The kid nodded again still looking at me oddly he picked up the phone and rang Tank.

"He says to go on up Mrs. Manoso. He'll meet you on five."

"Thank you." I nodded, not looking back at him and wandered over to the elevator.

I counted slowly as I was carried up, each breath even, one in, two out, three in, four out, five in, six out, seven in, eight out, nine in… ding. Level five.

Tank was waiting as the doors slid open.

"Little Girl." His voice was whisper soft and concerned.

I forced a weak smile, "Hey Tank."

"How are you?" The words were tentative as though I might break.

I was already broken, "I got the papers." I told him, pulling them from my purse. My hand was shaking as I handed them to him.

"Why don't we talk in my office?" He wrapped an arm around me instead of taking the papers and led me through the hall.

When he sat me down I realized the papers were now a crinkled mess in my tight fist. I attempted to smooth them out, my fingers avoiding the word divorce at the top and caressing the letters of his name.

"Why?" I asked shakily.

"Isn't it what you wanted?" He asked softly.

I lifted my head to meet his eyes, "I want it not to be a lie."

"He loves you Little Girl."

I could feel the numbness fading, bringing the tears, I hadn't cried this much in my whole freaking life, I mocked weak women who sobbed endlessly moaning over a failed relationship. How the hell had I become one!

"Where is he?" I needed to have this conversation with him. We'd needed space, time to figure things out, it didn't have to be goodbye, it couldn't be. Tank seemed to hesitate and fear built in my gut, "Tank?"

"In the wind."

I nodded slowly, "Did they estimate how long the mission would take? When did he leave?"

He shook his head, "He called them Steph."

"He left?" My whole body was shaking as Tank nodded. If Ranger called them, it wasn't for one mission; he wasn't planning on coming back. "Is he safe?"

Tank gave a slow nod, "As much as he can be doing what he does." My eyes fell back to the papers clutched in my lap. "He was very generous." Tank told me.

I just shook my head, "I don't care. I don't want anything."

Tank nodded, "For him Little Girl, just sign the papers and take it for his peace of mind."

I met his eyes, "It's not supposed to end like this."

"Then how?"

I shook my head, "It's just not supposed to end."

"It's better for you both. Move on. Heal. Sign the papers." I nodded letting him put a pen in my hand and shakily signed my name.

I felt sick doing it and when I saw the scrawl of my name beside his under the heading Petition for Divorce, I couldn't fight the bile, I turned my head and threw up on Tanks, shiny black work boots.

Tank disappeared and returned with clean boots and Bobby. I shook off his concern and turned back to Tank. "When you… tell him… tell him… not to get shot."

Tank nodded slowly. He wouldn't know what it meant but Ranger would. He'd know. It was everything I wanted to say wrapped in four words. I love you. Come home. I'm sorry. I miss you. I need you. And if it had to be, they made up the one word I had never been able to say Goodbye.

I stumbled out of the building and walked home.

Ranger was gone.

He'd left.

He wasn't in the wind, he'd become the wind.

He wasn't coming back.

He divorced me.

Time seemed to get away from me again as I slept on my little mattress, watching the sun rise and set out my window.

Ranger had left me. It didn't matter that I'd left him first. It wasn't forever. Ranger was gone though, he'd left me and it was forever.

Banging on my door finally drove me to get up. It was my old friend Eddie Gazarra.

"Hey Steph."

"Hey Eddie."

"You look like shit." I just nodded.

He sighed, "There's been a murder."

"Ranger." My heart actually stopped it was physical a physical pain in my chest.

Eddie shook his head, "Mooch Morelli."

"Mooch?" I wasn't such what that had to do with me.

He nodded, "Can you come down to the station."

I nodded and stepped towards him to go out the door. "Why don't ou have a shower first Steph, or at least, put on some shoes."

I looked down at my bare feet for a minute and then nodded. I was much more clear headed as I stepped out of the hot shower twenty minutes later. I pulled my hair back and saw in the mirror how pale and sallow skinned I looked. I'd definitely lost some weight in the last week. Only a week since I'd remembered the truth and subsequently discovered the lie. I'd thought nothing could be more painful but I'd been wrong, Ranger leaving me, divorcing me, that had been so much worse.

I followed Eddie to his car and he drove us to the station. Tank was already there. The shower had helped with my cognitive abilities but I was feeling light headed and not so much following conversation around me. Hell I still didn't know what it had to do with me so I was surprised when Sophie handed me a note, I stared at it for a full minute before processing the words. It was written in three sections. One to Joe, one to me and one to Ranger, I read through each.

_Joe Morelli - I made a mistake. I'm sorry for Stephanie. I didn't want to kill her. Just punish you. To punish someone for hurting her. For leaving me alone. I know the truth now. It wasn't you. My mother wasn't seduced. She was intoxicated. He took advantage. Nine months later she had me. He broke her. Now I've broken him. It's over._

_Stephanie Manoso - I'm sorry. I hated hurting you. I wanted to punish him. I should have just gone after him to right things. I never meant to hurt you and Ranger only Morelli. I know he's not my father but I'm glad you didn't choose the cop. I'm glad you didn't call him and saved me from killing you. You looked sad for me and I wanted to tell you not to be. I'm free now. My mother can be free now too. I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry I hurt Ranger. Be happy. He needs you more than he'd ever admit. I think it scares him. Be brave for you both and hold tight. Love him always._

_Ranger Manoso - I'm sorry I almost took her from you. I know you can't forgive me, just like I couldn't forgive him but don't let it haunt you like he haunted me. I know you have demons and I know she helps heal them. Forgive your past and let her be yours. Love each other always. You deserve to be happy, you deserve to be free._

I read the part to myself three times before I gave it back to her as I handed it across our eyes met and my spidey sense started tingling. Our gaze was broken by a sreaming man. We turned to see a pimp being dragged in for processing. The moment had passed and I turned to Tank.

"Have you heard from him?" I held my breath as I waited for an answer.

Tank just shook his head and led me out of the station.

I stopped on the front steps, refusing to go further, I could see Cal, Lester and Bobby waiting with the SUV a few feet from us. "Did you process those papers?"

Tank just looked at me for a few minutes before shaking his head, "I" he swalled, "I meet with the lawyer tomorrow."

"Don't." My voice was already begging.

"Steph."

"Please Tank."

"Why?"

I swallowed and bit back tears, and I begged, "Please Tank. Just don't file them. It's not over. It can't be over. Just wait. Wait until he calls and then tell him… tell him what I said to. You tell him not to get shot. You tell him and then maybe you can file but please, not yet. I can't, you can't." I was having difficulty breathing as I started to hyperventilate.

He pulled me into his arms and held me until my breathing evened out again. Then I let him lead me to the SUV, bundle me in and take me home, to RangeMan. My duffle was brought back and my things put away within the hour. I breathed in the scent of him lingering in the apartment and silently begged him to come home.

I didn't care if he would never have married me. I didn't even care if he came back and demanded the divorce, as long as he came back and we could still be together.

Walking around the apartment I noticed things I hadn't when I packed, freshly patched drywall and a missing corner table. When Tank told me what happened I threw up on him, again. I had driven Ranger to the darkest depths of his soul. I'd been blind with painful truths and needed time and because of it I had hurt him. I hated myself for it.

Tank did his best to get me back into a routine and I was eating again, I stuck to healthy food because Ranger was proud of me when I did good with my diet, I woke up every morning at six and went down to the gym to run for an hour and do thirty minutes of core and balance with Cal or weights with Hal and then I spent an hour in the gun range with Ram, I didn't want Ranger to feel afraid for my safety anymore, he'd know I could be a partner and not just someone to be taken care of, when he came home, if he came home. All day I ran searches or went after skips, drowning myself in work, then at night, I'd shower, lathering up in Bulgari, I'd pull on one of his shirts and I get into bed, then only then would I let myself cry. I'd cry until my body was to exhausted to stay awake and then I'd sleep.

We got word from Joe my Sumo kidnapper had been found. He'd shot himself in the head. He'd left a note.

_A little broken girl spilt blood of vengeance. She's free now. She can rest peacefully with her mother. It's over. Their souls at rest. Its time I join them. Don't bother spinning your wheels, Mooch Morelli got what was coming we got away with it, we're all free now, my broken little ward, her mother and I._

I cried thinking that sad little girl was dead. She'd suffered so much. I could see it in her eyes. I hoped she knew I forgave her for shooting me. I even loved her for what she brought me through it, a few stolen months of blissful happiness with Ranger.

The case was closed and I held Joe's hand at his cousins funeral. Then I kissed his cheek and let my Merry Men load me into one of the waiting black SUVs to go home, to RangeMan, where I belonged, if only the man I belonged to would come back to me.

Tank hadn't spoken to him but he'd gotten my message to someone who could get it to someone who could reach him, maybe.


	17. Chapter 17

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

**Stephanie…**

Time passed quickly, each day blending one into another. I no longer needed an alarm to wake up and get to the gym for six; I could run with Lester at a moderate pace and still breathe. He was able to talk while I mostly huffed a response here and there but it was a _vast_ improvement from trailing behind heaving and huffing while the Merry Men jogged around me in circles, at their slow pace.

I could now shoot out a circle in a target's head like Ranger had done on my first venture to the shooting range, when he'd bought me my first ever gun. I could hit a moving target in the chest nine times out of ten, if it wasn't to far. I was getting better. By the time I finished my workout and gun practice I'd be starving so I'd run up and eat and shower and then be at my desk by half past nine. My life had become a structure if routine, wake up, work out, shoot, eat two eggs scrambled with spinach and ham one slice of toast and glass of juice, shower, go to five and work, my work day changed depending on if I was after a skip or just running searches, lunch of a sandwich, turkey, cheddar, tomato, lettuce and mustard on sourdough with a bottle of water and back to work. In the evening I'd eat whatever Ella had made for dinner, distraction work or RangeMan paperwork I'd taken to helping Tank with. Thursday nights Shorty's with the Merry Men and then pool or dancing, Friday night dinner with my parents, Saturday dinner with Hector and his family, Sunday lunch with Mary Lou and movies with the Merry Men. Every night, alone in the dark, wrapped in thousand thread count sheets, dressed only in his tee shirt and smelling of his body wash, I'd give in and let myself be weak, I'd wish for Ranger to come home. He'd married me because I needed him, I hoped he'd realize that we were still married because I still needed him, I'd always need him. I loved him. Those were the longest hours of my day, the ones I let myself miss him. With each morning I'd lock it all away again.

Time kept passing and Ranger hadn't come home. He hadn't called Tank but they would tell us if he was… I was still his wife and Tank had always been his contact here so we'd know. Someone would tell us. So I let the days passed, waiting for a chance to hold him again, until the morning I opened the door to Lester.

"Hey Les." I smiled at him. "I ran already with Manny this morning. Figured you went out late last night. It was Saturday and not unusual for him not to work out with me, more often I'd run with Manny or Bobby.

"Steph." His voice was low and far too serious. I focused my distracted mind on his pale face, his features drawn tight with pain.

My heart stopped and then jumped to a start in my rest, "No." I shook my head.

"Tank and I got word just before dawn, we've been in contact with every source we have."

"How bad is he injured?" I refused to think… he was Batman, he couldn't… "no!" I shook the thoughts from my head as they threatened to strangle me. Lester was shaking his head as he pulled me into his arms. I took strength in him for a few breaths and pulled back, shaking my head, "How bad is it? Tell me Les. Are they shipping him home? Do I need to get to VA hospital somewhere?" He shook his head, "Tell me Les." I nodded, "I don't care where it is, if he's in a hut in a third world country I'm going, he needs me, if he's hurt, he needs me."

"Steph."

"Please."

He pulled a white envelope from his cargo pocket and held it out to me.

I backed away, my whole body shaking, "No. No. No." I couldn't breathe. I met his dark watery eyes, "No. Please no."

"He never made his last extraction."

"He could be hiding."

"It was three weeks ago."

"No." I felt my soul rend in two. I could hear someone screaming as I sank to the ground. Lester pulled me into his arms and was rocking me back and forth.

Tank came in and I looked into his eyes, "It's not true." I begged him.

The tears in his eyes told me it was. He took me from Lester and hugged me tightly. As he rocked me I felt a familiar prick in my arm and then darkness rose up. I willed it to take me away.

I groaned as I blinked awake. I said a silent prayer it was a nightmare but walking into my sitting room I knew it wasn't.

Ella was crying softly, her shoulder shaking lightly as she clung to her husband. Lester, no doubt also drugged by Bobby, was asleep on the couch. Tank had an empty bottle of whiskey at his feet and a half drained glass in his hand. My other Merry Men weren't in much better shape, I ghosted through the building and down to the gym. Hector was throwing knives at a post and Cal was beating the crap out of a punching bag. Hal was sitting, head in his hands looking like a lost puppy, Manny was running sweat pouring down his face, Zero, Binkie and Woody looked like they were trying to kill each other. I walked into the gun Range and found Ram taking apart and putting back together huge guns, his face hard and tight and his eyes intent but his fingers shaking. I picked up a gun and began to shoot at a target, the clip emptied and I reloaded. Someone was screaming again and I supposed it was me. I supposed it had been me upstairs as well.

When I ran out of clips I calmly set the gun down, my throat was sore and my arm shaking from the effort. I turned and walked back out and up the stairs to five.

"Bomber."

I shook my head at Bobby, my voice was hoarse from screaming as I spoke, "Go home and hug your wife Bobby." I could feel the tears rising as I looked at him, "Hug her tight and never _never_ let her go."

"Steph."

"I walked away, just to breathe, to figure it out, so we didn't tear each other apart." I shook my head as tears burned paths down my cheeks but the odd calm that fell over me when I emptied the clip kept me from falling completely apart as I held his eyes, "Tear each other apart if you have to, hate each other, hurt each other but don't ever walk away, don't ever let her go."

He nodded slowly and I turned to walk across the control room, stopping at the door I hadn't stepped foot or even looked in since he'd become the wind, I pushed open the door and walked into his office. I ran my fingers over his desk and sat in his leather chair. His scent still clung to the leather, Bulgari and Ranger. I closed my eyes and saw him smiling his thinking about smiling smile at me as he called me Babe.

I heard someone else come in but I didn't open my eyes. I just sat their and breathed him in and prayed. Let him be alive. I didn't care what shape he was in, I'd take care of him, just please let him be alive.

When I finally opened my eyes I saw the envelope on the desk and Tank was sat across from me. He'd also set down two glasses and a fresh bottle of whiskey.

I nodded and he poured me a glass. Our eyes met, sharing the pain and hope as we lifted the glasses. He downed half of his and I choked down a mouthful.

I let it burn its way to my stomach before setting the glass down and picking up the envelope. My hands were shaking as I held it. If I read it, his final goodbye, it was accepting he was gone, I wasn't ready to do that, there was still hope, there had to be.

I opened his desk drawer and put the envelope inside. I looked back up to Tank and he nodded, then lifted his glass to his lips and drained it. He was pouring himself another as I gagged down more of my own.

"I met Ranger in boot camp…" Tank began. He wasn't a talkative man, I'd rarely heard more than a dozen words from him in one sitting but now he drank back the whiskey and his deep calm voice told me how and why he loved Ranger. Slowly they all came, glasses were forgotten as bottles were passed around, appearing as though from the air. Tank's stories were interrupted by their stories as each of them revealed the pieces of Ranger he'd let them love. They knew most of my stories but I told them anyways, how I'd met him, how he'd rescued me from being locked to my shower pole, how the back of my neck would tingle when he ghosted into a room, how I'd melt when he kissed me. I told them about Hawaii and seeing him shot by Scrogs, I told them about the first night we'd spent together and how he'd sent me back to Morelli and I told them how he'd hugged me to him, garbage ridden and smelling like smoke after I'd destroyed another of his expensive cars and all he'd had to say was it was just a car, I was the one that was irreplaceable to him.

It couldn't have been lunch time when we'd begun drinking but the day light grew and then faded around us as we talked, darkness fell and still there were stories, eventually we did fall silent drinking together, refusing to mourn together, because all the stories had one thing in common, Batman always made it through and he carried us through too, whenever we weren't strong enough.


	18. Chapter 18

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

**Ranger…**

After I met with the Colonel I jumped onto the first mission he had. Routine, boring for me but I was distracted, even routine was dangerous when I was distracted. The life of a soldier was ingrained in me and soon I was itching for a real fight, a hunt so I contacted base and told them I was ready for anything. They had me on a flight to a god forsaken desert within the hour. I let the demon in my rise staying perfectly controlled and focused. I gave in to this side of me, only ever allowing myself to think of her in rare moment of solitude. I'd pull her photo from my pocket and drink in her smile.

She was wearing a black racer back tank top a pair of black cargos with black boots, she called it her mini-Ranger look. Her hair was wild and curly around her and her eyes shining with love and laughter. I'd snapped the photo with my phone as she leaned against the desk in my office.

The photo became bent and warped in my pocket as I went from that desert straight out to a dank pit of hell jungle, it was there I got her message.

"Your woman sent an urgent message." The medic told me, he'd just flown in to replace the one killed by a deadly spider bite, not an enemy, a damn bug. I shook my head and then focused on the medic.

"Say again?"

"Your wife. Seems your men have been flooding the ranks trying to get a message here to you for her. Don't make much sense to me but" he shrugged, "She says, don't get shot."

My wife? Was she still my wife?

_Don't get shot._

I could here her whispering it as I kissed her goodbye to go one a mission. "Don't go crazy." I'd tell her back.

"What's that?"

"Nothing." I growled at him. "Barker has a fever and Kirnwood needs stitches." I ordered before storming out of the tent.

All night all I could think about was her, she was still my wife and she was calling me home, I had to get this mission completed and get my ass back. I'd run away like a god damn coward, to afraid to love her. I had always been to afraid to admit how much I loved her, to afraid to let her love me, to afraid I was unworthy of the happiness being with her brought to me. I should have stayed and made her see, nothing might have changed for us if she hadn't been shot but that fucking delusion was the kick in the heart I'd needed to grab on and swear never to let go. I'd let go though and she'd held on, she'd been strong for me like I'd been strong for her before. She'd let go and I'd hold tight, I'd let go and she'd hold tight, neither of us able to really walk away from each other for long we needed each other to much.

My wife was calling me home and I was damn well going to get there.

My determination did nothing to make the mission go quicker or smoother. Things had been FUBAR from the beginning, nothing was going right. It had been three months since I had left and my wife was waiting.

It had been three months since I'd left Trenton and seven weeks since I got her message but finally the end was in sight, I had my target in sight, all I had to do was take him out and then get my ass back through the jungle and on a plane home.

We cleared the building, all that was left was my target. He was the head of a terrorist organization, I had no qualms about killing him but when I walked in the room her wasn't alone. The bastard was using children as shields, some of them looked determined others were crying, all of them were scared, all of them were strapped with explosives.

He laughed and yanked one of the crying children to him, "Retreat!" I ordered my men, "Clear out!"

He shook his head and hit the button on the little boys vest. I fired in the same instant hitting him between the eyes, a clean death, too quick for him.

I looked around, some of the boys were crying and trying to rip the bombs off their bodies, some had taken off running determined to take my men with them and their leader. I felt someone grab my pack and yank me back.

"It's to late for them Ranger, we have to get out of here." I tried to go back to the room but he grabbed my arm and met my eyes, "It's to late." I knew he was right and I hated it but I started running. A few of the boys had found guns and fired at us. Bile rose in my throat as I fired back, I didn't miss my targets.

I heard a bomb behind us and ran faster, as the flames from it reached another child we heard another bomb go off. There had been nine children in the room, nine bombs blowing in chain reactions. I felt myself lifted off my feet and flown into one of the walls of the compound at the force of one explosion.

I struggled to stay conscious and disappear into the woods. I had two soldiers with me, both other Rangers. One was green out of boot and injured badly. We disappeared into the woods and I led them up the mountain, our bodies were tired and everything hurt but still we moved. We were Rangers, we could trek while exhausted, we could push the pain into the corners of our minds and focus on the tasks needed handling. We couldn't change the weather, clear away the jungle or scare away infection. The green kid would lose his arm when we got back, he'd lose his life if we didn't get back soon. Gangrene had already set in. The third tour Ranger didn't make it through the second week, the internal damage had been to great.

We were lost in the jungle, battered by a damn hurricane, wounded and sick. I was tired and broken and I wanted to give up but my wife was waiting for me, she was calling for me, needed me and I had sworn to god and the devil I'd always take care of her if she needed me so I was going to get to her, somehow, I'd live through this and get my ass home.


	19. Chapter 19

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

**Tank…**

I woke up with a hangover like I hadn't had since Ranger and I came up from a FUBAR mission in some shit hole five years before. It hadn't been my last mission, I'd still go when he needed the back up but in five years that had been seven missions. Ranger went out almost every time they called. Some times it was a stealth in and out mission and he was back in under a week, sometimes they took him for a few months. Every time he'd come back with ghosts and demons in his eyes. Everytime he'd come back on the edge of broken, violence and hate and darkness ripping through him and every time he'd still go back to hell when they called.

Little Girl had tempered the pain in him, soothing the scars on his soul, she'd loved him even in his darkness. We gave him space when he returned, we watched him like the dangerous animal he was, his control was perfect but his entire system ran on high alert and he'd respond to anything resembling a threat swiftly and violently. She'd see him and run at him, the first time my heart had stopped, he'd caught her up and pulled her tightly to him while her legs wrapped around his waist. I could see the pain and violence in his eyes still but the darkness was receding just from her touch. He'd pulled her into his office and while I worried he'd hurt her, if only by accident, the only thing we heard from that room was sounds of pleasure and some furniture being abused. He came out and the demon in his eyes was sleeping again.

How could neither of them see what the rest of us could? They belonged together. He protected her and she healed him, they were strongest together.

I got up and walked to the bedroom door where I'd dumped her last night before passing out on Rangers couch. She was hugging a pillow as though it were Ranger and she was terrified to loosen her grasp or he'd disappear.

I went to the kitchen and drained three glasses of water with four Tylenol then I took a glass with two pills to leave on her bedside before going out to get her what she called the cure.

I was afraid for her now. She wasn't giving up hope neither was I but how long before that hope died? How long before her soul shattered from all the tiny fractures loosing him had caused? She didn't just heal Ranger, she healed all of us with her love, accepting us without hesitation for who we were, even the demons that lived in our souls and the darkest of our past deeds didn't give her pause. I hadn't understood when Ranger had first introduced us. I remembered her face as I through the scum out the window and thought I had her pegged. A bleeding heart, naive and out for a little adrenaline, playing Bounty Hunter but not willing to break a nail or dirty her shoes. I'd protect her because Ranger cared about her, I didn't get why, it hadn't mattered. He wanted to help her so I'd keep her safe.

On our watch she laid out on the floor, exhausted. She'd looked so young and innocent, to delicate to be forced to sleep on a dirty floor, to sweet to be faced with the ugly of this job and too weak to survive our world. Then I'd been shot and the crazy, beautiful, avenging angel rose and chased the man down not caring that he was strapped with a bomb. Every misconception I'd had about her over the night went out the window. She was strong, she was beautiful and while she was surrounded by the dank bowels of the world existing just beneath the surface of life, she shone a light of hope and love for those who could still be saved. We took out the poisonous evil pervading the world and she helped to cure the infected whose hearts hadn't totally frozen but even more she helped to heal our broken souls and showed us that though we lived in the dark, often drowning in the evil of man, there was still good.

I couldn't help but smile as I drove back to RangeMan, her freaking cure was actually working for me too. I left her bag for her on the table and went down to my office. I knew what I had to do and I was going to call in every favor Ranger and I had ever accumulated to do it. I was going to bring him home.

It took me two hours and a dozen phone calls to get the location of his last mission, the details of his assignment and the information on the missed extraction. I put out calls to every service man and former service man whose life Ranger had ever saved, then I called every contact I had in that fucking jungle country.

It was rounding noon when I got the call from the General.

"I can't sanction this mission Tank."

Neither of us were men to mince words so I wasn't offended by the lack of greeting.

"We're bringing him home."

"Chances are he's dead."

"Do you have his body?"

"It's hurricane season Tank. Those winds could have picked him up off the ground and left him anywhere. We don't even know which direction he went, or even if he got out of the building before the explosions."

"I'm bringing him home." If I had to I'd cart his body back but right now I was working on the hope he was alive.

"This won't be an official operation."

"Most of our missions aren't classified as official military action." I reminded him, "We've never been to those countries, never killed or rescued those people and never returned with stolen missile heads or commandeered nuclear materials. It's why our records are mostly on black paper with black ink."

"I've moved the men you contacted who are still active from their divisions and they'll meet you here. You get your team to base and load up, once you lift off, you're on your own. If I could be on the ground with you, I would be."

"General?"

"He saved my daughters life once Tank. If he's out there, you find him and you bring him home."

"Yes sir."

When I hung up the phone I saw Lester had entered the room. "If he's alive he's hiding, chances at this point are he's not alive. Either way, you wont find him."

"I'll tear the fucking country apart if I have to. I'm bringing him home to her."

"Dead or alive?"

I gave a curt nod in reply and he sighed. He looked like he'd aged ten years over night. "I'll load my gear."

"You should stay."

"She didn't divorce him, she owns controlling shares of RangeMan now and you've taught her how to run things. The men will take care of her and they'll listen to her. I'm not needed here."

I nodded, "I've put together three teams, now we need to put the word out here to keep her safe."

He nodded and pulled out his own phone. Together we made all the calls we needed to and met with the other men. Finally I went up to talk to her.

"Tank." She gave me a brave smile.

"I need you to take my client meetings."

"Tonight?" Her head tilted and her bottom lip was pulled between her teeth, she was barely holding it together, she looked so scared and my respect for her strength and bravery grew.

"Nothing tonight but tomorrow, for the next week, for the next while."

"Tank?"

"Until I get back."

"Have they called you, to go in the wind?" She asked her body trembling.

"No." I shook my head.

I could see her mind working and then her spine straightened and she drew on reserves of strength that rivaled men I'd fought along side. "You're going to get him."

It wasn't a question but I nodded anyways, "As his wife, you hold controlling power of RangeMan, Lester, Bobby and I are also authorizing you in our names."

"You're all going." The concern and sadness in her eyes wrapped around my heart and squeezed. For a moment I thought she might ask us not to go, not to risk our lives. We both knew it wouldn't make a difference. "You'll be careful." She said instead.

I nodded, "I'll bring him home."

She nodded and then surprised me as she flung herself into my arms and hugged me tightly, "Come home. All of you. Make sure you come home too."

I hugged her to me and set her back, "Hal, Zero. Woody, Ram and Binkie are coming with us. Manny will help you run RangeMan, if you have any questions or need help with clients, go to him. Hector's rounding up what's left of the Brotherhood and Cal's got word through his contacts around Stark, he and a couple of his associates are coming with us, he has a way with the underworld, an understanding that will get us further in the cities, he's not military and wont be of use in the jungle so I'll send him back before we go into the area Ranger was last in. Hector is going to be your shadow, you don't leave this building without him, his brother and a couple other people he trusts will be coming in to help, so will a couple friends of Cals and a few former military friends of mine and Rangers that can't come out but want to help. RangeMan, in its other locations will be take care of themselves. Bobby has a friend coming out to provide medic support. I'm leaving you in Hector and Manny's care. Promise me I don't need to worry?"

"Not about me. Just find him, bring him home and be safe."

I nodded and hugged her. "I'll be in touch while I can be but don't be afraid if I can't contact you."

I felt her nod against me and then her lips as she kissed my neck, "Be safe." She ordered again.

Then I left her.

**Manny…**

I watched Wifey disappear into her office, Ranger's office. She had been so strong for so long but I worried about her as each day her eyes became harder and hope began to fail her.

She'd been running RangeMan for almost two months and the business had actually grown. We were the best at what we did so business had always been good but she had a way with people, a way with the clients that brought in more business than we could handle, so we grew. She hired vets and men that came on Cal and Hectors recommendation, she ran the searches and met with each man personally. I wasn't sure why she chose some of them but I hadn't been sure why Ranger chose to trust Hector or Cal in the beginning either. Wifey was a good judge of character and no matter what the searches turned up in the past of some of the men, she'd meet with them and then more often then not, she'd give them a chance.

We'd all wanted to prove something to Ranger, to be worthy of his respect. It was different with her, no one wanted to disappoint her. She accepted the men as part of her little family, we were her Merry Men and she loved us.

Physically she grew stronger each day and I watched her grow into her self, becoming more calm and confident in every part of her life. I also knew the one regret she had was how she'd handled things with Ranger. She'd been afraid and weak and had vowed never to be again. Except hope was failing her. Everyday I could see the light in her fading a little more as she hardened to life and the world. It broke my heart more than anything before it had.

"Manny?" I turned to Cal and nodded. "She ok?"

"She talks to you more than anyone." I reminded him with a shrug.

He shook his head, "Not about what's going on inside of her."

"She talks to me about RangeMan, if not about the business itself about what she's doing to learn more about security and telling stories about clients, we watch movies and talk about places she'd like to see after talking to an ambassador or his family. She doesn't talk to me about anything she's feeling any more than I guess she does you."

"Hector?" He asked, watching the man cross the room and enter her office. "They've become attached at the hip."

"You mean even more than you and she are?"

"Jealous?"

"I've been in love with her since I opened my eyes in the damn hospital and she grinned at me and winked and said to play along before the nurse informed me she was my wife."

"It's not a fucking secret she's loved Manuel. Not by you or me or anyone else in this building."

"She needs to let him go, to mourn and heal."

"She'll never love you the way she loves him."

"I can love her enough for the both of us."

Cal sighed and I echoed it before swallowing. "If she could want me, I'd love her enough too but she belongs to Ranger, she's always belonged to him and she always will so I love her like a sister, I protect her and support her and for her sake, as well as because he's as much my brother as if he were blood, I pray he's alive and they bring him back."

"It's been months. Even if he survived the blast" Cal cut me off.

"We confirmed he wasn't killed in the explosion, only one man didn't make it out and he wasn't Ranger."

"Fine, that doesn't mean it didn't wound him badly enough to kill him slowly, it doesn't mean the jungle didn't take him or a god damn hurricane didn't, there have been five since then." I sighed. "I want him to be alive to Cal. He's a brother to me and I miss him but I also love her enough that if I hated him I want him to come back to her so the pain in her eyes disappeared. The fact is though that they can't find him and the longer she holds on the harder it is."

He sighed again, "I know but if anyone can survive out there its Ranger."

"No one can survive out there, not this long." He didn't say anything. We both knew it was true. Without help not even Ranger could survive that jungle with no supplies in hurricane weather, not for this long and not injured. If he'd had help, Tank would have found him by now. Two of the three teams Tank had put together had shipped home, only RangeMan and a few other ex-Rangers remained with one Navy SEAL whose lives Ranger had saved at one point or another.

We watched Hector reappear from Ranger's office with Stephanie. She was in her uniform of black cargos, black racer back tank and heavy boots, no client meetings today. She wore a pencil skirt on those days, it was high waisted and fell to just below her knees, it was skin tight and sexy with a small slit in the back, she paired it with crisp white blouse opened just enough for a hint of cleavage while still looking professional and sky high black pumps. Hector she'd moved out of gang clothes and kept him in standard RangeMan wear, his weapons visible and somehow he made the look I thought was professional in our business, come across as more dangerous.

He was her shadow and more often than not I'd see him driving off with her on the back of his bike at the end of a day. Cal was right, I was jealous, if she wasn't with Ranger, I wanted her for myself but it was more than that. I knew her heart would always be his but I wanted to be the one to protect her, the one to keep her safe or make her laugh but Hector and Cal had taken those roles and I helped her with the business. At least I had a prominent place in her life and I knew in her heart as well. She loved all the men here, welcomed them all and was always there for them in any way she could be but we all knew that the core Merry Men were special to her and right now that was Cal, Hector and I.

I sighed again and shut off my computer getting up to check the men at the monitors and give them orders for the night. In the garage I saw Wifey climb onto the back of Hectors Ducati, her arms wrapping around him and then they sped out into the night. I wasn't sure if they were going after a skip or were done for the night all I knew was that at six am she'd be waiting for me to go running with her. When we got back she met Cal for defense training, then one of his friends she'd hired for weapons training, then she'd go up to seven to shower and half hour later we'd be sitting in Ranger's office meeting about the day, Hector sitting, silent in the corner working on the wires to some tech piece or typing into his laptop seemingly ignoring us until she stood up from her chair then his eyes would track each movement she made around the room ready to follow her out and no doubt he'd follow straight to hell if its where she led. Only ever letting her leave his sight for my runs with her or in the care of Cal, both of which times, she was safely here in RangeMan.

I gave a few orders and went down to my apartment on four telling myself to let go. She wasn't mine and no matter how much I loved her, I couldn't stop the light from dying in her eyes as the days past and we heard nothing from Tank. I supposed at this point I didn't want to hear from him because as hard as it was to watch her harden to the world I knew if he came home without Ranger she'd never heal from it. I supposed they knew it and that along with their own love for the man we all respected and called brother, was the reason they were still looking.


	20. Chapter 20

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

**Stephanie…**

I sat at the kitchen table slicing peppers and listening to the rapid Spanish being talked in the room, Ana, Lucia and Camille were talking over each other, teasing, joking and laughing while we helped Carmen, Hectors mother, making dinner. I understood a little Spanish, having spent so many hours with Hector and his family but mostly I understood the ideas being spoken and not much of the rapid string of words blending as they spoke over each other.

It was comfortable and calm here, well it was chaotic and loud really but it was full of love and warmth and welcome and I felt comfortable and calm here. Hector brought me at least twice a week, sometimes we'd meet his cousins or siblings to go dancing, sometimes we'd just stay and have dinner, play poker or watch a movie. It was my happy place, well, not happy but relaxed.

Hector came inside and kissed his Mama's cheek, then I felt his hand squeeze my shoulder before he disappeared down the hall. He'd been tussling with his brother outside and I knew he'd go clean up before we ate.

My phone rang as Luis set a fresh beer in front of me so I smiled at him in thanks as I answered the cell without thinking or checking the screen.

"Hello?"

"Little Girl?"

"Tank!" Everyone in the room stopped and looked at me as I yelled his name into the phone.

"I've got him."

My heart was racing and tears burned my eyes, I couldn't seem to get in enough air, "He's ok. Oh god. You found him. Oh thank god."

"He's alive. We're in a medical transport, heading back stateside."

"Tank."

"I know Little Girl."

"Where do I meet you?"

"I'm sending the information to you now." I heard the click of his phone disconnecting and dropped my hand into my lap. My eyes lifted to find Hector. He'd come into the kitchen at my shout of Tank's name.

"He's coming home." I told him unnecessarily, my eyes filled with unshed tears.

Hector nodded and motioned for me to follow him. Ten minutes later we had all the information and his family was waving us off.

When we reached the base Tank had already gotten us onto a list and they let us straight through. I bolted up the steps of the hospital and burst inside looking for Tank, Lester or Bobby, someone to point me in the right direction.

"I'm here for Ranger." I told a nurse at the main desk, "For Carlos Manoso, Ricardo Carlos Manoso. I'm his wife."

She nodded but didn't look up. "Have a seat."

"No." I growled. "Where's my husband?"

She sighed and finally met my eyes, "I'll alert the doctor and commanding officials you've arrived. Please take a seat. Someone will update you on how he's doing."

"I don't want to sit and I don't want an update, I want to see my husband."

She shook her head, "I'm sorry but that's not…"

I pulled out my glock, a little surprised no one had taken it or my backup gun from me when we arrived on the base, I met her eyes and I wondered that it was my expression and not the gun that had her pale but I didn't care the reason, "Where is Ranger Manoso."

"Manoso?" She said with a gulp looking to her computer screen. "Secure ward. Honestly, I don't have any access."

"Then call someone who does."

"Bomber?"

"Lester!" I spun away from the nurse and dropped my gun arm, running to hug him. He looked exhausted and a little malnourished but unharmed.

He hugged me back tightly, "We found him. He's alive."

Lester had been there and he still sounded surprised. "I have to see him."

He nodded and glanced at the gun, lifting an eyebrow. I just shrugged and holstered it. "Ranger?"

He dropped it and led me through the hospital to a metal door with a pass code. I watched him punch it in but we were stopped by a guard as we went through.

"I'm sorry, you can't be back here."

"She's my cousin, Rangers wife." Lester told him.

It didn't make a difference to the young guard, "She can't be back here."

"To fucking bad." I spat at him, my temper rising. "You have my husband back here and I am going to go see him. So go screw yourself."

He glared at me, "I can't let you do that, miss."

"Mrs. Manoso and you just try and stop me."

He rolled his eyes and stepped towards me, grabbing me. I clawed at him, using all of my training, not just martial arts but the dirty street fighting Cal and Hectors men had taught me, finally I flipped him onto his back and made a run for it. I could hear more guards chasing me as I looked in the rooms I past but it slowed me down and they were gaining on me. I spun to defend myself. They advanced together but I was able to break the new guys nose before his partner grabbed for me. I spun and kicked my steel toed boot so hard into his balls that as he hunched in on himself, he vomited and fell off balance. I spun on the other guard who was holding his broke nose with one hand and his nuts with the other in sympathy pain.

"I'm going to see my husband, I will shoot you if I have to." I told him, my eyes holding him steadily.

He nodded slowly, "Which soldier?"

"Ranger Manoso." He sent me a wide smile. "No shit, you're Bomber?"

I narrowed my eyes, "Do I know you?"

"I was on one of Tank's extraction teams, we had to pull out after a few weeks since most of us were still on active duty."

"Can I see him now?"

He nodded, "I value my balls to much to say no, besides I was on my way to give clearance to the desk for you to be brought back hen you arrived."

"Thanks." I nodded and Lester and I followed him down the corridor and around a few corners. Lester's shoulders were shaking silently in laughter. Hector, having stopped the first guard from following me was as always a silent presence protecting my back.

When we reached his room I hesitated going inside.

"He's ok Beautiful. Weak from hunger and fever, dehydrated and has a few new scars but Bobby and the doctor say he'll be fine."

I felt tears falling as I nodded and walked into the darkened room.

In the corners of my vision, I saw Tank and Bobby with a couple other men, I ignored them all as I walked up to the bed Ranger was sleeping on. I slipped my hand into his and felt relief flood through me.

I felt his grip tighten around my hand and lifted my head, his eyes were slits but they were open.

"Babe." It was a whisper but it opened the dam and my tears became sobs as I leaned over the bed and buried my face in his neck, one arm clutching his chest and the other still gripped tightly in his hand.

I let out all the pain and fear of the last five months, the last two having been the longest and hardest months of my life.

When I was finally able to stop crying I pulled back and gave him a watery smile. "I love you."

"Love you Babe." He told me weakly.

"I'm so sorry about…" The shake of his head cut me off.

"I'm too," he told me with a squeeze of my hand.

"Ranger."

"Doesn't matter Babe. Pasts not important."

"I'll never let go again." I promised clutching his hand tightly.

He gave me a thinking about smiling smile as he weakly replied, "You will but I wont let you go."

"Ranger."

"You wont let me go either."

"Never."

"Forever." He told me closing his eyes.

"Ranger." I whispered.

"Babe."

I let him rest after that and no one asked me to leave.

Bobby came in after a while, he gave me a weak smile, "I don't know what they've told you but he's dehydrated, malnourished and needs to sleep for about a week. Other than that he'll have a nasty scar from a pretty bad cut that he stitched up himself and he's got a fever, we tested out the possibility of anything truly nasty causing it like malaria or venomous bites."

I nodded, "I haven't seen the doctors." I finally took my eyes off Ranger and gave Bobby my full attention. "He's going to be ok?" At his nod I felt a tight knot in my chest loosen. "You, Tank and Les?"

He shifted his feet, "Tank, just give us a soft bed, dry clothes and a good meal or two, we'll be fine."

"Bobby?" There was something he wasn't telling me.

He sighed, "A few of them men are a little worse for wear but everyone came back alive."

"Who?" I nodded and let the numb and hard shell I'd acquired running Rangeman fall into place. The question was an order and I noted that his spine straightened as he reported.

"Binkie lost the use of his left eye, Zero has a broken arm and Woody has dysentery." Bobby seemed to relax his posture and shook his head with an almost smile at his own response to my command for information.

I nodded again, "How?"

He sighed, "Binkie got in the cross hairs of some kind of wild cat, it got him pretty bad across the face before Ram shot it. Zero slid down a hidden cliff face and into a river, he had a mild concussion and dislocated shoulder with a hairline fracture on his tibia but he was lucky. Woody drank some water that wasn't treated properly. They're all going to be fine."

I gave him a final nod and turned back to watching Ranger, relief pouring through me that all my Merry Men had returned, not exactly safely but returned and I would be grateful forever they'd brought Ranger back.

"Psychologically, we don't know the damage Little Girl." Tank spoke up.

I just nodded in response. Whatever he needed, I'd take care of him now. "Go get some rest Tank. All of you."

They waited in silence a few moments before finally leaving Hector and I alone with Ranger. After a moment I felt Hectors hand squeeze my shoulder.

"I'm outside Angel." I nodded, my eyes not leaving Ranger as I heard the door open and shut quietly again.

I took Ranger's hand in mine and finally let out the pain, fear, relief and love in soul cleansing sobs.

I felt his hand tighten in mine and looked up, wiping at the tears, "Rest Ranger. I'm here. You're safe." I told him. His eyes hadn't opened and I began to run my hand gently over his to warm forehead, "Rest." His grip eased and sleep took him back under.

Ranger was in and out of consciousness for the next two days. Some uniformed man came in and told me a bunch of medical information that I assumed meant the same as what Bobby had already told me. Following him was a General who introduced himself and shook my hand, then he ordered a cot brought for me so I could stay with Ranger.

I left his side only to check on the other men and to shower. Otherwise I sat beside him, holding his hand and trying to convince myself it was real, he was alive and he was here with me.

When he was awake I talked to him, I didn't even know about what. I just talked. I knew I told him how much I loved him, how sorry I was to have walked away.

He'd gripped my hand tightly, "You'd have come back. If I'd held on, you'd have come back. I was just weak. I didn't wait."

"No." I shook my head, "I was weak and afraid of loving you so much."

"I lied."

I nodded, "Don't do it again ok?"

He shook his head, "If its what you need from me."

I swallowed and nodded, "Ok but only if my sanity and life depend on it."

He gave me the thinking about smiling smile, "Babe."

"I was so scared." I knew he knew I meant while he was missing now and not when I'd run.

He nodded and his grip tightened on my hand, "Me too Babe."

"You didn't get shot though." I smiled at him through tears.

"You didn't go crazy."

I grinned at him and then kissed him, "Rest some more."

He nodded and closed his eyes. "Love you Babe."

"I love you Carlos."


	21. Chapter 21

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

After those first two days Ranger was awake more than he was asleep and was recovering quickly. With his recovery came his anxiousness to leave the hospital and not sit around doing nothing.

I learned about the young Ranger whose life he'd saved and we visited the boy in his room. He'd gotten a piece of shrapnel lodged in his arm and when grangreen set in Ranger had been forced to do a field amputation, with no proper equipment or medicine I could only imagine the horror of that.

The kid was in pretty good spirits for a twenty four year old who lost his right arm. He'd joked he was a lefty anyways and thanked Ranger about a thousand times for saving his life, not just with the amputation and keeping the wound clean but with keeping them safe and alive while trying to find a way out of the jungle. I knew he was making light of things and could see the pain in his eyes, he'd just become a Ranger and now he had lost a limb and the life he'd built for himself.

I hugged him, tears in my eyes, "You get out of here and come to RangeMan, we'll get you set up and kicking bad guys asses again as soon as you're ready."

His left arm tightened around me and when he pulled away I saw him swallow and nod, his eyes still held sadness and pain but also gratitude. I learned from Lester later that he had a young wife and new son he hadn't met before returning, a new family to provide for.

Ranger just watched me and when we were out of the room he pulled me into a bone-melting kiss.

It was a full week before the doctors released him and we could go home. I was dancing inside as I led him out of the hospital, we passed the guard whose balls I'd rearranged and his hand went immediately to his groin, I nodded at him and kept going. No one had mentioned my attack on the three soldiers and I figured the nice General who'd ordered a cot for me had taken care of it for me. I wasn't sure if assaulting a soldier on a military base was the same as assaulting a cop but I didn't think it was the smartest move I'd ever made. Thank god those that be in the military loved Ranger, or at the very least owed him their or someone they cared abouts life.

The Merry Men had spent the week healing up and besides the more severe injuries of Binkie and Zero, they were in relatively good shape. Ranger was still a bit week but looking more like himself, minus a few pounds. They all needed to eat. He was quiet, even more than usual and a bit reserved, I could see the anguish of what he'd faced and seen in his eyes and hear it in his nightmares. I cried for him while in the shower but never where he or the others might see or hear me, they needed me to be strong for them and I was determined to do it.

I never thought about the changes I'd made to RangeMan until we arrived at the building and Manny was waiting for us in the garage.

I shook my head at him, "Everyone needs rest. We'll talk in the morning."

Manny nodded and smiled at Ranger, "Good to have you home safe Boss Man."

Ranger nodded at him and let me lead him into the elevator. The others, including Hector, got off on four and I took Ranger home. He didn't ask about the exchange with Manny until after Ella had hugged him, fussed and left us with dinner on seven.

"Babe?"

"Need something?" I asked, slipping into his lap on the couch.

He shook his head, "Something we need to talk about?"

I thought about it a second before shaking my head, "Not that I can think of?"

"The company ok?"

"Fine." I shrugged, "Let's get you to bed."

He smirked at me and I smacked his chest, "You need sleep."

"I've been sleeping for a week. I'm good."

"Please."

He nodded giving me the thinking about smiling smile, "As long as I can hold you." I smiled and got up, pulling on his arm to help him. We took the time to shower before crawling into bed. His body curled around me, pulling me into his warm, broad chest, "I dreamt about holding you again." He whispered kissing my shoulder.

"Carlos." I sighed happily.

The next morning I woke up before him, grateful his nightmares at remained at bay. I had just slipped into the closet when he woke up and followed behind me, watching me get dressed.

"I might have commandeered your office while you were away." I told him. He just smiled and lifted an eyebrow. "Manny and Cal will be waiting for us there to give you and the others a report."

"Why not the conference room on three?"

"We always meet in my, your office." I told him with a shrug. "Come on."I tossed him a pair of black cargos before my hormones won the war with my need to make sure he was one hundred percent ok before ravaging him.

He stopped me, still shirtless for a kiss that melted my bones and made my toes curl. "I'm good Babe." He assured me before smacking my bottom and pulling on a shirt.

I grinned and shook my head, leading him to the kitchen where Ella was setting out omlets. She fussed over him a bit more and then left us to eat.

"We've made a few changes since you've been gone." I warned him. He lifted an eyebrow in question, "Taken on a few new men, Tank called in several before he went to find you. He gave a nod and we finished in a silence I felt comfortable in, just basking in the relief that he was here, sitting so close I could touch him.

"Babe." He broke into my wandering thoughts and I got up to lead the way down to five, setting my plate in the sink as I passed.

Not to much on five had changed. I greeted the men, some who didn't know Ranger eyed him carefully but since Hector wasn't shadowing me, glaring, they must have figured the stranger was ok.

Manny, Cal and HEcotr were already in my office with Tank and Bobby, Lester followed just behind me and Ranger. I guided Ranger to his desk chair and made him sit, the leaned into his side so we were still touching before I nodded to Manny.

"No issues since you left. Still haven't got a good bead on Harris but we brought in Jorgen and Victor. The Spanish ambassadors wife was sorry to have missed you but said to send her best wishes Ranger was ok, her visit went smoothly and she's already making arrangements for a return visit to shop in New York. I've put her in touch with David, he had a minor issue with a shiek's son but it was handled the report is in your inbox. Miami called and want to go over a major event being requested. Kell was arrested two nights ago. I've bailed him out and placed him on probation for you to deal with. The new tech kid rigged the new blue tooth gps devise in the Porsche and onto Hectors bike, both have override so you can go dark. The Samsons rescheduled their meeting preferring to deal with you directly, I warned them you might not be able to free up time for a week or two but they insisted on waiting. Wolf brought in some new weapons, military grade and they're in lock up downstairs for inventory, I'm almost sure most of them are even legal but I'm having Spaz check all of them twice. All the Heads are waiting for your call about Boss Man being back and the possible changes to come into effect. David seems a little worried with the rocking boat thing and how unstable they are in transition. They're all getting a little anxious since you missed the weekly brief and worried about restructuring but going ahead as normal until Boss Man steps up and takes over."

I gave him a nod and turned to Cal, "Harris?"

"Word out is he's skipped, we've got a possible line in Chicago and I've got two men on the street there. Seventeen new skips, three already landed, the other four are Miami and nine New York, we've been requested by that office to flood in and I have a team waiting your ok. I have a line from Morelli on a murder they're stumped on, unofficial, and have two men working it. We've had one other break in and three of a competators who've called us in to clean house. Donovan is on the break in and thinks all of them are related."

I nodded, "Manny get Lester updated on the clients and second floor run, I'll walk Ranger and Tank around. Cal take Bobby to the new med wing and have Doc give him the run down. Binkie and Zero will both need continuing med care and I want the whole team to have a run over and tell him I'll be dragging Ranger down this afternoon. Is there a word on Nicko?"

"Doc's got him on desk, I've worked him into the third floor."

I nodded at him, "How's the renovation coming on lock down two?"

Cal nodded, "The team pulled out yesterday, it's operational and Spaz ran through the tech, everything's ready to go online."

"Good." I nodded to them, "Go." I turned to Hector, "Can you check the Porsche. Spaz is good, you're better." He nodded once and then all three of them moved to the door.

"Bobby?"

"Les?"

Cal and Manny motioned the two stunned men to follow.

"What the fuck?" Lester looked from me to each of them and back to me.

I sighed and rolled my eyes, "Someone had to run things while you were gone." I told him. "I don't exactly do things the way you do so we made some changes."

"That and people like her better than you," Manny teased him before continuing, "we've had so much new business we've had to absorb two other security companies in the last month and it's looking like a third is about to follow."

"I'd rather build up a relationship with them, they're good at what they do and we're expanding to fast, help them out with the breakins and send them a couple clients, I want to maintain quality over quantity and building a residential side will spread us to thin. I want the men to stay focused on the commercial side Ranger built around, it's our core and leaks significantly into the rest of what we do."

Manny gave a nod, "You got it Wifey. Clean house and build a solid contact. You want to give them the Apartments on fifth?"

"Lead that account and the Pine Street building to them but do it after this prick breaking in is caught, he's hit two RangeMan buildings and I don't want word spreading that our system is weak."

"The one was Stark and the other was the slums in former industrial." Cal reminded me, "We were tearing down the slums anyways and Starks a shit hole, we haven't completed the run."

"We set up a safe house there Cal, I want it completely secure, as of last week. I don't give a damn where they're located, I don't want anyone we don't give access to on those properties. And send in the guys to clean house on Ninth, I don't like the last reports we got."

Cal nodded, "You got it Angel girl."

Hector frowned, "Camille is on Ninth."

I nodded, "Send in Luis and the Brotherhood. If the gangs want to claim that section it'll be ones we're in business with. The Slayers are trying to rebuild."

He nodded and disappeared out the door.

"Ready Bobby?" Cal motioned to the door. "Doc's probably waiting."

"Sure." He stood up, looking daised and followed Cal out to the elevator.

"Well shit Beautiful, you've grown into Boss Woman." He smirked at me, "It's kind of hot."

"Santos!" Ranger growled.

Lester threw up his hands and stood, "Lead the way Manny, I want to get a look at what Beautiful has done to us.

I turned to Tank and Ranger, both had been silent until now. "I'll show you around, there have been some changes."

Both men were silent, giving small nods and standing.

"I didn't touch your offices," I blushed and gave Ranger a small smile, "Except for commandeering yours." He nodded and I led them through. "Five is core team only. The monitors run on our guys twenty four seven. Seven, six and four haven't changed at all. The conference rooms on three are now offices housing the skip chasing, searches and investigative sections of the company. I led them down the stairs and onto five. I explained the use of each former conference room as we passed, "Each team has their own office, the smallest conference room has been converted to security monitor systems which are run twenty four seven. I nodded to several of the men and a few who'd come from days in the military soluted Ranger and Tank.

Finally I led them to the second floor. "This floor was converted to corporate RangeMan, it's where we meet clients, monitor commercial buildings and plan and run any private security events. I led them through the floor again before stopping at the elevator. I led them through the gym, gun range and the expanded medic area before leading them back up to five. "We run at double the staff you had two months ago but every one here was carefully selected for their skills and every man and woman here is loyal. Floor two dress code is business casual most days, floor three is standard RangeMan uniforms and street appropriate." I led them back up to Rangers office and we spent the next several hours going over the changes and the current jobs, the weekly meetings online with the other RangeMan locations and the wice weekly meetings with the staff here, one with day crew and the other with night crew.

When I finally finished updating them both men just sat back in silence for a few moments making me fidget with nerves.

"Well?" I finally asked.

"Babe." Ranger said, his grin spreading making me sigh with relief.

"It's ok then?"

"Shit Little Girl, this place is running with military efficiency, you've expanded and maintained the integrity and quality of what we started, built relationships in the field and on the streets." Tank nodded at me in approval and I felt pride well up inside me.

"I don't get dragged through garbage anymore and haven't blown up a car in a while too." I told them blushing.

"You did great Babe. Proud of you."

I grinned at him, "Thanks." I shook my head and sighed, "I'm glad you guys are back to take over though."

"Hah!" Tank shouted, "I'm moving down to three and leaving the rest of this shit to you to run, you're better at it than I ever was."

Ranger shook his head, "Client relations was never my strong point either."

"That's Lester's job." I insisted.

Ranger shook his head laughing, "We'll work it all out Babe but if everything is as smooth as it seems it should be an easy transition."

"I'm sure the other RangeMan companies will be happy to hear it."

"We've always run pretty independently." Tank said with a shrug.

"Not so much now." I said with a shrug.

Manny chuckled from the door, "She's got them wrapped around her little finger now too. Eddie in Miami calls her the Heart in the Darkness."

I blushed, "Don't you have a client to meet?"

He shrugged, "I tossed Les into the ddep end. It's his job anyways."

I frowned at him, "Lester's barely been stateside a week and in Trenton less than twenty four hours, until they've rested up and the teams have a chance to adjust I want everything run as though they aren't here."

Manny shook his head, "Les can handle…"

"No." I snapped. "It's your job. Do it."

Manny's smile fell and he gave me a curt nod. "Yes ma'am."

"Manny?" I called him back more gently.

"No worries Wifey." We winked at me. "I'll keep Les on a leash until he's got the hang of the way you run things."

I rolled my eyes at him and we exchanged a smile before he disappeared, only to reappear a moment later, "I forgot, I came to tell you Doc's having some trouble he'd like you to head down and says he can look over Boss Man while you're there."

I nodded, "Thanks Manny."

He looked around the room, "Where's Shadow?"

"Shadow?"

"Hector." He clarified.

I shrugged, "Checking on some tech stuff, working, he's around. Try the garage or ring his cell."

"Hunh." He nodded and left.

I frowned and shook my head before turning back to Ranger and Tank, "Don't argue with me on this. I don't care what those military quack doctors said, I want Doc to look you both over."

"Calling me a quack Bomber?" Bobby asked walking into the office.

"No." I shook my head and smiled at him, "You're the reason I didn't ship Doc out there a week ago."

He shook his head and chuckled, "I thought I had the unit set up good, it's a mini hospital down there now though."

I shrugged, "Some of the guys don't exactly like the hospital so unless it's a major surgery everything is treated here now."

"Doc's having trouble with a patient, wont let us subdue him, says you have orders to get you."

I nodded, "I'm coming." I shook my head, "He's a great doctor but an impatient bastard/ Come on." I said moving to the office door.

"Babe."

I glared at him, "Don't argue with me Manoso."

Tank snorted a laugh, "You to Tank."

He shook his head, "I don't need a medic. I'm fine."

"Pierre Hunter get your ass up off that chair and down to the medic room."

"Make me." He said with a smile.

I stepped towards him frowning with my hands on my hips, "You really don't want to go there."

"Riiight." He rolled his eyes, "Whatever you say Little Girl."

I snorted and smiled at him, then turned to Ranger, "Are you going to argue with me as well?"

"Babe."

"Ranger." I growled.

"I'm fine."

"Put it this way, dear husband." I smiled innocently at him, "Until Doc gives you a _full_ physical, you _aren't_ going to be seeing any action, of _any_ kind. So I'd suggest you get your ass up and moving or I'll be making use of the massage shower head I had installed upstairs."

I could see him fighting a smile as he nodded, "Babe."

He got up and I turned back to Tank with a smile, "Last chance Tank."

He snorted and chuckled. I rolled my eyes and led the way out. As I passed I stopped by the desk of some of my men and nodded towards the office, "Medic Unit. Fifteen. Don't make me come back."

They nodded and I continued to lead Ranger to the elevator.

"Babe."

I just shook my head and pulled him into the elevator, hitting basement level one.

Ranger let Doc poke and prod him with a scowl that screamed at the medic to hurry up because this was unnecessary and he was just humoring me. Then he saw two men hauling a passed out Tank onto the bed next to him.

Ranger shook his head and laughed, letting Doc continue his exam, all the while watching me with an incredulous smile.

Who's my reluctant patient? Doc finally turned to Tank.

"That's Tank and I'm almost positive none of the military doctors bullied him into proper care and he was only ordered to comply with minimal health checks."

Doc nodded and moved over to Tank, "Stun gun?"

I shrugged, "Looks like blow dart tranq."

He nodded and began to take Tank's blood pressure.

"Your husbands doctors were thorough. Increase his calorie intake and make sure he stays hydrated, lots of rest. We can get in psych evals for him and all the men on the team if you feel its necessary but they were cleared by military personell."

I nodded, "If any one starts to exhibit any concerning sysmptoms we wont hesitate but until then I think we can hold to clearance from the army."

He nodded and turned back to his patient, "I have to check over Jensen if you'd smooth it over please."

"Sure thing Doc. Can you make sure to check over Lester this afternoon as well."

"Am I going to have trouble with him?"

"No." Ranger answered for me.

"How are the others?"

"On the rescue team?" I nodded. "The Blankie with the missing eye."

"Binkie." I interrupted.

Doc nodded, "He'll have serious long term adjustments, I wont suggest you pay out his contract and provide medical because I know you wont do it but even when he heals his ability to do his job will be compromised and that will compromise the safety of..."

"Are you suggesting I would willingly put _any_ of the men who work here in danger?"

"No, I'm just warning you that it will be a hard adjustment for him to make and take time for him to accept his limitations."

"I have no doubt that Binkie will overcome any limitations."

Doc sighed but nodded, "Zero is healing but relegated to desk duty until further notice, my guess is at least six weeks for that fracture to heal but it could be longer. I'm recommending a full week recovery for the rest of them if not two before returning to active duty."

"I'll make sure of it." I told him with a nod. Doc wasn't my favorite person, his bedside manner left a lot to be desired but he was a great doctor.

I moved over to the other bed and kissed Tank's forhead. "Sorry Big Guy but I warned you."

I walked down the hall and knocked twice on a closed door.

"Fuck off!"

"Jen?"

"Boss Lady?"

"I'm coming in." I pushed open the door.

"Who's he?" Jensen growled.

"My husband." I told him softly.

Jensen smiled and nodded, "Bout time he came back to you luv."

"Doc says you aren't letting him examine you."

"Fucking quack. I'm fine Boss Lady. I've been shot worse."

"I know but for me, please, you know I'll just sit and worry until Doc tells me you're clear."

He sighed but nodded, "Still a quack but for you Luv he can poke and prod a little more. I swear if he lectures me bout the streets and the stitches getting mucked and leavin a scar I'm gonna smack him."

I grinned at him, "Just tell him chicks dig the scar, Jen."

He winked, "That they do Boss Lady."

"You have anything for me?"

"Yuh. Word is your man Milky's been down at the Pussy Stop, you know Cat's Cradle the dance and diddle joint."

"When?"

"Every Thursday night. Primo broads work Friday and Saturday but Thursday's a wet your whistle cheap and he's got a thing for the red head works there called Sweet Water Swallow."

I nodded, "Thanks Jen. Doc's done checking you over swing by the back entery and Dillon'll slip you a thanks."

"No problemo Boss Lady. Thanks for bailing my woman out last week, she's doin real good in that rehab shit you helped her sign in on."

"Later Jen."

I stpped back out and turned to Ranger, "You all done with Doc? He said you could leave?"

"Clean bill of health and the fucker even ran a damn gallon of blood work."

I chuckled, "He's an ass but he's thorough."

"Everything ok there?" He nodded to the door.

"Yeah. Jensen's a character, got shot helping us out a few weeks back, he's here to get some stitches out. I think he'd rather I poked out his eye then let a doctor at him but he's ok." Ranger nodded. "And you don't have a clean bill of health. Doc says to increase your calories."

He rolled his eyes, "I've been worse, Ella will be feeding me up and my body mass with pick up again quick."

"Doc says more bed rest."

"Babe."

I leered at him, "Doctors orders Carlos."

He laughed and advanced on me. I yelped and booked it for the stairs. He overtook me on four, slung me over his shoulder and carried me up to seven.


	22. Chapter 22

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

I stared out the window into the dark of Trenton and sighed. Life was good again. The Merry Men were all back, Zero was grumbling about desk duty and Binkie was struggling to adjust to his new limited vision but both men were in better spirits than I expected. I'd gotten a call from Adam Pike asking if I still thought there was work for him and was expecting to meet with him in the morning. Everything had settled down at RangeMan and everyone had found their place in the new order, there had been a few bumps but nothing serious. I ran the investigation side of things, searches, contacts and the like while Lester focused on corporate clients and personal protection details, Manny ran Surveillance, Hector tech, Ram weapons, Bobby ran the medic Unit and Doc was happy to focus on just patching men up when they came in. Tank ran all skip chasing and take downs and Ranger was back to being the boss, handling everything from the bottom up.

I still worried about Ranger, he had pretty bad nightmares sometimes and while he wouldn't talk about it, Tank had mentioned something about children being used in countries like the one he'd been in as soldiers and Bobby had made a comment about Pike and Ranger having to remove the limb that made me think it was part of what haunted him as well.

I did my best to comfort him but I couldn't erase the scars his missions left on his soul, no matter how much I loved him.

I heard the door opening and keys being set in the little silver bowl and I knew Ranger was home.

"Babe."

"In here." I called, exiting the den and walking to him in the sitting room. He gave me a leering smile. "You like?" I asked turning slowly.

He lifted an eyebrow in answer, "Babe."

I blushed, "The men will be waiting."

He nodded and motioned to the door so I led the way out. I felt him move right up behind me as the elevator doors closed, "I don't see any panty lines." He whispered his hand smoothing over my hip and ass.

"I can't wear anything under this dress Carlos." I whispered back.

He groaned and pulled my body closer into his chest so I could feel him pressed tightly against my ass as he kissed along my shoulder.

Lester whistled as the doors opened to the garage.

"Santos!" Ranger growled.

I laughed and pulled him forward, "Let's go, we have a felon to catch."

The job went smoothly and I found myself back in the den, looking out over the dark shadows of Haywood Street.

"Babe?"

"Here." I called. He stepped into the room.

"Babe?" I could hear the concern and knew he was asking if I was ok.

I sighed and turned to him nodding, "Just thinking how lucky I am." He smiled and lifted an eyebrow. "I didn't really believe in fairy tales or happily ever afters, not the kind in movies but here I am, surrounded by our crazy family of Merry Men, married to you and everything is, well, its everything I never thought to dream about and so perfect."

He stepped towards me a soft smile pulling the corners of his mouth up, "You did dream it Babe. You dreamt it and woke up believing it and then made the rest of us need to make it real."

I grinned at him, "Yeah, I guess I did."

He kissed me, slow and sweet, melting my bones before becoming demanding and promising, making my toes curl in anticipation.

"It's been a year." He told me as he pulled back. I frowned at him, "A year since you woke up from a dream and we made it reality."

"Happy Anniversary Carlos." I told him, leaning in for another kiss.

"Not yet, but I'll make you very happy." He promised lifting me into his arms and carrying me to our bedroom.

His phone rang as he was pealing off my clothes and kissing down my body.

I groaned and demanded, "Ignore it."

He chuckled and rolled so I was on top of him, I rocked against him, kissing along his chest but the phone ringing was driving me crazy and I flopped onto the bed beside him with an aggravated sigh.

He sighed and left me to pick it up, growling into the receiver, "What?"

When he came back he didn't look happy.

"Carlos?"

"Nothing." He shook his head and climbed onto the bed, pulling me into him.

He kissed me with dark passion and wild lust this time and I felt myself instantly soak, whatever the call had been it brought out his darker side and I knew he wouldn't be gentle or take his time, not this time, this time he would let his control slip away and I would be left a melted and slightly sore puddle of sated goo when he was finished with me. I moaned into his mouth, demanding more, demanding the last thread of his control snap and he take me now.

It wasn't until the next day that the phone call started to worry me. I'd just met with Adam Pike, he was a good kid, he was having trouble adjusting to life with only one arm and his young wife had left him for a single father who taught Math. He was angry and beaten but underneath it I could see he was a good man. I offered him a job, starting with surveillance and an apartment on four.

It was back up on five I saw Ranger and Tank talking. Tank looked pissed and Ranger looked… resigned. That was when I remembered the phone call, my heart started to skip beats and my chest grew tight.

"Carlos?" I whispered in question walking up to them.

He shook his head at Tank and turned to look at me, "Babe?" It was part question and part defensive growl.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Like hell." Tank growled.

Ranger sent him an angry glare before turning back to me, "Let's talk in my office."

I nodded and followed him inside. "Everything ok?"

"I've been called."

"Called?"

"They need me."

I felt my heart constrict painfully, "A mission." His nod was curt. "Ranger?"

His eyes finally met mine, "This is who I am."

"No." I disagreed stepping back and shaking my head.

"I leave tomorrow."

"You almost died." I reminded him, panic swirling in my gut.

"Not for the first time."

"Ranger. Carlos. Please." I couldn't breath.

He didn't say anything, we just stood like that and I realized lines had been drawn in the sand. He was going and I could accept or not.

I turned and walked out of his office and ran down the stairs. I hoped on Hector's ducati and sped away, leaving skid marks on the smooth concrete.

It wasn't long before I was joined by several other bikes, I recognized Luis's bike as he pulled up beside me, I'd picked up the Brotherhood or Hector had called them. Luis motioned for me to follow him, I gave him a nod and he took the next right. I stayed close and he drove us to a building on Ninth.

"Camille's." He nodded to the run down apartment, "232. Hector's on his way."

I nodded, "Thanks Lu." He nodded once, "Someone need to talk with us?"

I shook my head and gave him a small smile, Luis and the brotherhood _talked_ to people for me, it wasn't using words. They weren't as overprotective as Hector who didn't much let me out of his sight unless I was with Ranger, but he was close to it. I recognized Marco on a bike behind him and nodded to him. Marco raised a hand to his helmet and gave me a mock salut, then the entire group was off. Marco had been dating Hector for seven weeks. A record for Hector who never had relationships or even dated, he'd just go to a gay bar, pick up for a night and not bother with things like phone numbers or names, most people still didn't know he was gay besides me and his family, or they hadn't until Marco.

I watched them disappear around a corner and went up to Camille's.

"I've got tequila and ice cream, I wasn't sure what the emergency called for." She told me as she pulled open the door. I frowned at her with a smile and she shrugged, "Hector called said Luis was bringing you to me."

I nodded and followed her inside. "I stole his bike."

She chuckled, "Must be a tequila emergency."

I shook my head but took the shot she poured out, "Ranger's going in the wind."

"In the wind?"

"On a mission."

"You mean like back to that hells armpit jungle he was dragged only half alive out of after a two month rescue search?"

"Some where like that." I confirmed.

She took a shot and poured us each another. "Why is he doing a dumb fuck thing like that?"

I shrugged, "They called him."

She lifted a brow and I took the second shot. She shook her head and took hers.

"What do I do?"

"Tell him not to go."

I shook my head and felt tears stinging my eyes, "He says it's who he is." I sniffled, "He's barely recovered, still has nightmares and he didn't even fucking hesitate or think it over, they called and he's going. End of story."

"Who he is, is your husband." She argued, "He made a vow to you. Risking getting hurt doing what you both do is one thing, going out looking for death is another."

I sighed, Ranger hadn't made me any vows or promises, the only thing that bound us together was a piece of paper.

"I think I'm drunk." I told her and went to sit on her couch.

"You're a scary light weight white girl."

"Yeah." I nodded and shrugged.

"What you want to do?"

"Wait for Hector to come take me home?" I wasn't sure if it was a statement or a question.

"Mama Hernandez is having a BBQ, you come home for a few hours." She told me getting up and grabbing her coat, "Hector will find us there."

I shook my head, "I don't think I should ride his bike just now."

She laughed and grabbed keys, "We'll leave it."

"K." I stood and followed her out. Cal was parked behind the motorcycle, Hector leaning against the side of the SUV.

"Angel?" Hector questioned.

"We're going to Mama's house for a BBQ." I told him.

He nodded and moved to the bike I turned to Camille, "Meet you there?"

She smiled and nodded going over to her own little Honda, only stopping to nod at Cal, "Skulls coming too?"

I laughed at the nickname and turned to Hector, he shrugged and turned to Cal, "Following?"

Cal shrugged and nodded, "Sure."

"I'll ride with you then, Luis can bring me home later." Camille said moving back to the SUV.

Ten minutes later I was seated out back, eating and drinking a beer, surrounded by the noise and chaos of Mama Hernandez's house, it was good to be back where I always felt so at home and relaxed.

Cal looked a little overwhelmed at first but by the time we left it was as though he'd always been part of the crew always in and out of Mama Hernandez's. His comfort level could have been helped by the time he spent with his tongue down Ana's throat against the side of the shed too.

Hector just shook his head at them with a smile and them pointed between them and to his heart before making a motion as though breaking it and pointing a gun at Cal, warning him that if Ana's heart got broken Cal would have to deal with him. Cal just nodded and Ana shook her head pulling Cal away to get more food. It could also have come from Cal having seen Hector and Marco kissing in the kitchen and his complete lack of reaction to the news Hector was gay that made both men relax.

A few hours passed before we finally left to head back to RangeMan. On five I saw both Ranger and Tank were out so I let myself in Tank's office and found the papers I'd given to him so many months ago.

I slipped back outside and took them down to two. We had a full time lawyer there.

"Gregory?" I knocked on his open office door.

"Mrs. Manoso." He smiled at me, always so formal.

"Can you tell me if these are still valid?" I handed him the papers and he skimmed over them and then nodded.

"They are, all they need is to be filed." He told me, his voice indicating the question. "Can you get them filed for me please."

He seemed to hesitate but nodded, "If that's what you wish."

"Please."

He nodded again and then looked at his watch, "I can stop by the courthouse and file these now if you're sure."

"Thank you." I nodded and turned to leave.

I went back up to five and into my office. Gregory showed up a few hours later and handed me the papers. "Do you want me to give Mr. Manoso his copy?"

I shook my head, "I'll do it." I whispered staring down at the stamped paperwork.

It was official; I had divorced Ranger. I heard my door click shut and let myself hyperventilate a little. Just last night I'd thought I had my happily ever after, except that in books and movies the stories ended and life went on and happily ever after never lasted forever.

After my mini meltdown I forced myself to be calm, checked my makeup in the mirror, adding a coat of mascara for armor and stood up.

Ranger was in his office with the General I was sure had stopped me from getting in trouble for abusing US soldiers on his base to get to Ranger, Tank was also there with a man in uniform I didn't recognize.

"Mrs. Manoso." The General nodded at me.

I gave him a curt nod in reply and turned to Ranger, "Babe." He nodded at me.

"You're busy. I just came to give you these." I dropped the papers on his desk.

His eyes flicked to them and I saw his body stiffen as he read the title _Petition for Divorce_ and saw the _Approved_ stamp, dated today.

"Babe." His voice was low a cross between a growl and pained whisper.

I lifted my chin, "You can't have two wives Ranger. You made a promise to them, signed a contract that means more to you than the one you should have made to me but we never made a vow so the only thing that bound you to me was a meaningless piece of paper, its not enough."

We stared at each other in silence for a few minutes, the other three men in the room not daring to even move.

"So this is it?" Ranger finally asked. "You're done with me?"

I shook my head, "I'll never be done with you." My voice cracked, "I love you." I swallowed back the emotion choking me, "I hate you right now but I still love you. I'm just done being a lie. We've made no promises to each other and without them, I can't be your wife." I spun and nodded at Tank and the General, "Gentlemen." Then I walked out of the office and went up to seven to curl on my bed that smelled of Bulgari and Ranger, and cry.


	23. Chapter 23

**Everything recognizable belongs to the author – I'm not her –I'd have more Naked Ranger in the books – so I just took her characters out to play.**

"You ok Little Girl?" Tank's voice came from the door a little later.

I sat up and sniffled, nodding and then shaking my head. "I don't know if I'm strong enough to survive it again."

"He'll be ok."

"You can't promise that."

Tank sighed, "Can't change him Little Girl and no matter how much we want to we can't stop him going."

I nodded and wiped at my face, "I'm scared for him."

"I'll have his back out there."

I shook my head meeting his eyes, "Not just not coming back Tank."

He nodded slowly, "I know."

"You'll be leaving to then?"

"Can't let him go alone, not this time."

I nodded, "You'll be careful?"

"Always." He nodded.

I swallowed, feeling tears burn my eyes, "Stay safe."

"Stay out of trouble." He replied with a nod.

I laughed through the tears and nodded, "I'll try."

He gave me a small smile and turned to leave.

A few hours later, I heard Ranger come in, his keys dropping in the bowl and then footsteps into the kitchen, "Babe."

"When do you leave?"

"Oh five hundred."

I nodded, not looking up from the rice pudding I'd been eating. I heard him sigh and then the chair move as he sat, turning the chair to face me and setting a small black box on the table.

I set the bowl down and looked from the box to him. "Carlos?"

He met my eyes, "This is who I am, it's why my life isn't good for relationships, why I never planned to marry or have family I was close with." I nodded feeling tears already threatening. He sighed, "I never planned for you Babe, for being in love, for needing someone like I need to breathe." He ran an agitated hand over his head making the short-cropped hair stand on end, "I can't change. I love the hunt, the thrill, the danger and I make a difference, a small one but its who I am."

I nodded, "I know."

He shook his head, "I have a contract with the government Babe, one that lets me be who I am but not one that is more important than you. Nothing will ever be as important to me, no ones life more precious, not even my daughter. She's my blood and I'll provide for her and protect her for as long as I live and because of Scrogs, because of you, I even know her a little but she's no more to me than my sisters or even the men. Someone I care about but not someone I am emotionally attached to, they are people I would still put in danger to protect you."

"Ranger." My voice cracked around the word and tears fell hotly down my cheeks.

"I have a contract to go when they need me, sometimes I can say no, sometimes I can't but that doesn't mean I can't make promises to you. I should have already." He reached over and opened the ring box. It was a black diamond set in platinum. "When I get back, not if, because nothing will keep me from marrying you right, when I get back, I'll make you vows, ones to love, honor and cherish you forever, ones of fidelity and partnership. Right now, this ring is a promise, my blackened soul is yours, I know I'm flawed and I know its not fair what I ask of you every time they have or will call, not just to let me go and wait for me but to soothe the scars of my soul that I come back with. I can't promise you I wont not come back one day but I do promise to fight harder than I've fought for anything before to always try. I do promise to love you with everything that I am and that nothing and no one will ever mean anything close to me what you do. I promise to support you in anything you choose to do and to follow you on any journey you want to take. I promise to love you forever, not just when its easy and while I can't promise to always be here when you need me, I promise to be what you need when I am."

I sniffled and flung myself into his arms crying into his neck, his grip tightened around me, a little too tight but I didn't care, "I love you."

"Marry me?" He whispered.

I laughed through the tears and pulled back enough to look him in the eyes again and nodded, "Yeah."

He kissed me deeply and I moaned into his mouth, pushing myself tighter into his body. He stood up, with me still in his arms so I wrapped my legs around his waist to hold on and he carried me to our room.

This time he worshipped every part of my body until I was begging and then loosing my voice from screaming his name as he had me tumbling into orgasm over and over again.

Sometime in the night he woke from a nightmare, pulled me into his body and ravaged me, leaving bruises from where he lightly bit and sucked at my skin and gaining scratch marks along his back.

It was still dark the next time he woke me with gentle kisses. He slipped the ring on my finger and then kissed me again. We made love a last time, a mix of demanding and sweet then he held me to him and whispered, "Don't go crazy."

"Don't get shot." I whispered back.

He chuckled and kissed my temple before getting out of bed. I bit back tears as he dressed and then came to kiss me again, "I'm going to marry you before I die. I promise."

I laughed through the tears, "I'll start planning."

He ran his hand over my hair, "It's not fair, asking you to wait for me."

I shook my head, "Life's never fair."

"I love you."

"I love you too. Always.

"Forever." He agreed.

Then with one last kiss he got up, took his black duffle and left. I curled into the bed and let myself be weak, crying for him.

When I finally got up and showered, I smiled at the black diamond engagement ring and closed my eyes, I could picture his thinking about smiling smile as he called me Babe. "I love you." I whispered into the silent room. Then I walked to the door and made my way down to five. Happily Ever After might not come easy like in the movies but I had mine and really what did I expect, I was married… engaged anyways, to Batman and this is me after all so there was bound to be danger and blown up cars and he was as likely to get shot as I was to go a little crazy but we were together if not always physically than in our hearts and minds, forever.

**Sad as I am that it's over, this is where I leave off, they're done possessing my fingers for this story. I have so many other ideas but I suppose they're for a different Ranger and Babe because these two are done. Hope you all enjoyed it. Thank you for all of the reviews. Please feel free to leave more and to check out my other stories! **


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